A LAW graduate from the University of the Philippines (UP) topped the 2022 Bar Examinations where 3,992 or 43.47 percent out of 9,183 bar takers passed the exams held last November.
Significantly, the top five Bar takers are all from UP and out of the 30 Bar topnotchers that was announced by 2022 Bar Exams Chairman Associate Justice Benjamin Caguioa, 13 were graduates of the state-run law school.
Among the top 30 Bar passers are UP law graduates Czar Matthew Gerard Torres Dayday (88.80 percent, 1st place); Erickson Cayabyab (88.76 percent, 2nd place); Christian Claire (87.96 percent, 3rd place); Andrea Jasmine Ong (87.77 percent, 4th place); Kim Gia Grande (87.42 percent, 5th place); University of San Carlos law graduate Gabriel Gil Manlambus (87.25 percent, 6th place); and San Beda College Alabang law graduate Luigi Nico Mosqueda (87.19 percent, 7th place).
Four graduates from the Ateneo law school clinched the 8th to 11th place.
They are Rio Mei Lungub Uy (87.05 percent); Mark David Quinit Vergara (87.00 percent); Jaims Gabriel Lopez Orencia (86.90 percent); and Reina Marie Manatad Cayanong (86.75 percent).
In the 12th place is Mariano Marcos State University law graduate Jether Kakilala Corpuz (86.75 percent); Jayvy Rosales Gamboa from UP landed in the 13th place; Ar-rashid Jammih of Ateneo de Zamboanga University (86.68 percent, 14th place); Sharele Ann Oliva Joson from UP (86.58 percent, 15th place); Nicole Kate Paronda from Ateneo de Manila University (86.56 percent, 16th place); Luis Gabriel Arevalo Perez, UP (86.55 percent 17thplace; Eric Pamintuan Exiomo, Saint Louis University (86.49 percent, 18th place); Louis-mari Rosales Opina, University of Santo Tomas (19th place, 86.42 percent); and Kyle Terrence Amilao Viloria, Arellano University (Arellano University, 20th place).
Ranked 21st to 30th place are Gian Miguel Jimenez Balbaenro, Ateneo de Manila University (86.31 percent), Jennefer Franco Estabillo, Manuel Quezon University (86.30 percent); Jojo Marie Insular Balaver, UP (86. 24 percent); Jesse Brian Balisi, Ateneo de Manila University (86.20 percent); Alvin Tumang Dayrit, Angeles University Foundation (86.17 percent); Angelika Uy Vega, University of San Carlos (86.15 percent); Chrisha Ver Ramirez Romano-Weigel, University of San Carlos (86.15 percent); Aaron Daryl Pasumbal Marquez, UP (86.01 percent); Kathleen Kae Zagala Endozo, Ateneo de Manila University (86.00 percent); Michael Hofileñ Delgado, Ateneo de Davao University (86.00 percent); and Patricia Marie Eugenion, UP (86.00 percent).
Meanwhile, considered as the top five law schools with more than 100 first time Bar takers are San Beda University with 161 passers out of 165 takers (97.58 percent); Ateneo de Manila University with 176 passers out of 181 takers (97.24 percent); University of the Philippines, 210 passers out of 221 takers (95.02 percent); University of San Carlos with 186 passers out of 199 takers (93.47 percent); and University of Santo Tomas with 127 passers out of 159 takers (79.87 percent).
Ateneo de Manila University also emerged as the top law school if all candidates (first-time and repeaters) were to be considered with 178 passers out of 184 takers (96.74 percent) followed by San Beda University with 14 passers out of 180 takers (96.67 percent); University of the Philippines with 214 passers out of 227 takers (94.27 percent;) University of San Carlos with 192 passers out of 210 takers (91.43 percent); and University of Santo Tomas with 139 passers out of 178 takers (78.09 percent).
Earlier Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo advised this year’s unsuccessful bar examinees to “never give up. Everything is according to God’s plan.”
Dayday, in an interview with reporters, said he did not actually expect to top the Bar Exams and that he just wanted to pass it.
“Well, honestly when I heard Justice Caguiao announcing the name of the topnotcher I thought there was another Dayday who took the exam,” he said.
Dayday, who is now working in a law firm in Makati, said he cried along with some family members when he finally realized that it was him who actually topped the Bar.
“Moving forward, I really want to continue working with where I am now. I still have a lot to learn, I still have a lot to experience. I still have a lot to do. I realized that working is different from law school, so even though I already graduated from law school and passed the Bar now, there is still a lot for me to learn. So now I really just want to be exposed to the profession, to learn more from the people around me,” Dayday said.
