MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED 1:14 p.m.) — A graduate from the University of the Philippines College of Law made it to the top of the list of 2015 bar examination passers released Tuesday.
Law graduate Rachel Angeli Miranda earned an 87.4-percent average, leading the 1,731 aspiring lawyers who passed the competitive exams. About 26 percent of all the bar exam takers made the cut with passing rate of 75 percent.
Bonifacio Global City-based law firm Cruz, Marcelo and Tenefrancia acknowledged the accomplishment of Miranda, who works as its one of its legal associates.
Cruz Marcelo & Tenefrancia associate Rachel Angeli B. Miranda topped the 2015 Bar Exams (results just released). We are extremely proud!
— CMT Cruz Marcelo (@CMTCruzMarcelo) May 3, 2016
University of San Carlos grad Athena Plaza followed Miranda on the top ten list with a close 87.25-percent average. Ranking third is Jayson Aguilar from the University of the Philippines with an 86.75 average.
Also the topnotchers list Reginald Arceo and Mandy Therese Anderson, both from Ateneo de Manila University, placing fourth and fifth with 86.7 percent and 86.15 percent, respectively.
Ranking sixth and sevent are UP's Giselle Hernandez (86.1 percent) and San Beda College Manila's Darniel Bustamante (85.9 percent).
Tied at the eigth spot are University of San Carlos's Jecca Jacildo, Xavier University's Soraya Laut and Ateneo's Jericho Tiu with 85.85 percent average.
At ninth place is Jedd Brian Hernandez from UP, while Bulacan State University's Ronel Buenaventura and San Beda's Lara Carmela Fernando tied at 10th place.
The passing rate of 26. 21 percent was the sixth highest since 2001, when 32.89 of exam takers made the cut.
The Supreme Court released the results of the bar exams past noontime on Tuesday.