2022 Bar Passers Take Oath, Sign Roll as New Lawyers
May 2, 2023
The successful 2022 Bar examinees became full-fledged lawyers today as they took their oath and signed the Roll of Attorneys at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. They are the first batch of successful Bar passers who have recited the New Lawyer’s Oath under the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA).
The oath taking was held at the Plenary Hall, while family members and guests of the inductees viewed the proceedings via live stream at the Reception Hall as well as in Fora 1, 2, and 3. The signing of the Roll of Attorneys was held at the Reception Hall in the afternoon.
A total of 3,992 out of the 9,183 who completed all the tests during the four days of the exams passed the 2022 Bar Examinations. This translates to a passing rate of 43.47%.
2022 Bar Chairperson Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa urged the new lawyers to be “critical thinkers as well as articulate advocates.” He stressed though that “even as they are critical thinkers and compassionate advocates, good lawyers must also be true, to themselves as to others, and in that honesty navigate legal problems with creativity, innovation, and a healthy imagination of how a resolution can serve most if not all parties concerned.”
Justice Caguioa added that “their courage must be so fueled by love – of country, of the law, of others – that their resolve to fight on becomes unshakeable, with their conviction running deep, but their love and compassion running deeper still.”
He further added that “good lawyers must know that there truly are heavenly proportions to the toil that we do on this side of life, and in so knowing are moved to submit to Him every outcome, even as we must presently apply ourselves to approximating, albeit faintly, what peace and justice on the other side of eternity can look like in the here and now.”
“Let this imprint be upon you, dear 2022 bar passers, let it be what defines you: a GOOD lawyer, in the truest sense of the word. I hope you will remember the passwords, and the meanings behind them. Take them to heart as you go off to become the BEST LAWYERS you are all meant to be,” said Justice Caguioa.
He revealed that the passwords in the eight subjects of the Bar Exams were personal to him and not just random quotes. The passwords “describe not just the short journey of an examinee called the Bar Exams, but they also depict the long journey you, as a successful bar passer, will take in the practice and love of the law.”
Among these passwords were “Use your little grey cells,” “Dream the Impossible Dream,” ”one day more,” and I have fought the good fight” which were taken from lines of fictional detective characters or musicals, as well as a verse from the Bible which had personal meaning to Justice Caguioa.
“One day more,” taken from the musical Les Miserables, is an expression of hope for things to change for everyone. Justice Caguioa said that the musical’s underlying theme is love which he said should also be the underlying theme of the Bar passers’ career as lawyers – love of country and fellow man and love for the rule of law.
“Eight exams, eight passwords. Put together, they form what I want to give as a pabaon to each of you. If you will see from the passwords, there is a common thread that runs through all of them. I call it the imprint of a lawyer. That is to say that a good lawyer must strive to, if not already possess, a delicate medley of virtues and skills,” said Justice Caguioa.
For his part, incoming 2023 Bar Chairperson Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando gave reminders to the new lawyers: aim to be a lawyer of good repute throughout your professional life, keep your feet on the ground, and excel responsibly.
With the recently approved CPRA, Justice Hernando also encouraged them to use social media responsibly and to work gratis or pro bono “at least 1,000 times” in their professional lifetime. Justice Hernando likewise implored them to “never tarnish the image of the legal profession directly or indirectly, in person or online” and to love and defend the country.
The 2022 Bar Examinations were held on November 9, 13, 16 and 20, 2022 in 14 local testing centers spread out across the National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It was the 120th professional licensure tests conducted for Philippine lawyers.
Czar Matthew Gerard Torres Dayday, a graduate of University of the Philippines, topped the Examinations with the highest over-all rating of 88.8083%.
The Court also recognized the top performing law schools, with the ratings of the law schools were grouped per category (based on number of Bar candidates) and with a distinction of the ratings covering all Bar candidates and the ratings covering only first-takers.
On the first day of the Examinations on November 9, 2022, 9,207 candidates completed the exams on Political Law and International Law (with related Tax Principles) and Labor Law. On the second day, November 13, 2022, 9,196 candidates completed the tests on Criminal Law (and Practical Exercises) and Commercial Law while on the third day, November 16, 2022, 9,190 examinees finished the tests on Civil Law I and Civil Law II (and Practical Exercises). The fourth day of the examinations on November 20, 2022 saw 9,183 examinees taking the tests on Remedial Law I and Remedial Law II (with Basic Tax Remedies) and Legal Ethics.
The 2022 Bar Examinations adopted a three-examiner policy. The examiners were: Former Commission on Audit and Current Philippine Competition Commission Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo, Prof. Dante B. Gatmaytan, and Prof. Reynaldo G. Lopez (Political and International Law with related tax principles); Prof. Luisito V. Liban, Prof. Marlon J. Manuel, and Atty. Divinagracia S. San Juan (Labor Law); Regional Trial Court Judge Augusto Jose Y. Arreza (ret.), Court of Appeals (CA) Justice Carlito B. Calpatura, Prof. Giovanni F. Vallente (Criminal Law and practical exercises); Former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairperson Teresita J. Herbosa, Atty. Jose Perpetuo M. Lotilla, and Prof. Maria Zarah R. Villanueva-Castro (Commercial Law); Prof. Hector M. de Leon, Jr., Prof. Avelino M. Sebastian, Jr., and Prof. Amparita S. Sta. Maria (Civil Law I); Prof. Joan A. De Venecia-Fabul, Land Registration Authority Deputy Administrator Robert Nomar V. Leyretana, and CA Justice Jose Lorenzo R. dela Rosa (Civil Law II and practical exercises); Prof. Victoria A. Avena, Sandiganbayan Justice Michael Frederick L. Musngi, and CA Justice Wilhelmina B. Jorge-Wagan (Remedial Law I); Senior Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe (ret.), Atty. Rodolfo Ma. A. Ponferrada, and Atty. Jesus Paolo U. Protacio (Remedial Law II with basic tax remedies and Legal Ethics). (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
The Supreme Court holds a special En Banc session for the oath taking of the 2022 Bar Examinations passers on May 2, 2023 at the PICC Plenary Hall in Pasay City. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
Supreme Court Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Chairperson of the 2022 Bar Examinations, underscores the importance of being “critical thinkers as well as articulate advocates” to the newly minted lawyers on May 2, 2023 at the PICC Plenary Hall in Pasay City. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Chairperson of the 2023 Bar Examinations, reminds the Bar passers to aim to be a lawyers of good repute throughout their professional lives, to keep their feet on the ground, and to excel responsibly. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)