MANILA, Philippines — Ateneo de Manila University alumnus Sean James Borja led the 1,800 aspiring lawyers who passed the 2018 bar exams — and he did that despite the hatred he received in the past for being gay.
The Supreme Court on Friday announced that Borja obtained the highest score of 89.3060%.
READ: Ateneo graduate tops 2018 bar exam
Asked if he had ever felt that “being gay did not make you worthy to follow your aspirations,” Borja told the ABS-CBN News Channel that despite being a victim of bullying, he managed to rise above the hate.
“Definitely. I guess especially during grade school—you know how grade school is like when you’re being bullied for being different and it was during that time... where you think you’re not good enough to be at the top—to be a lawyer to fulfill your dreams just because of who you are,” he said.
“And yes, definitely there were a lot of times I doubted myself but I’m happy to say that I did overcome those doubts and insecurities and I’m just happy to be me right now,” he added.
The 2018 bar exam posted a passing rate of 22.07%, which is lower than the previous year's passing rate of 25.5%.
Live updates: 2018 Bar exam results
In the same television interview, Borja, the valedictorian of the Ateneo Law School Class of 2018, said he felt some pressure when he took the bar exams.
"It was my dream to top the Bar,” said Borja, who was celebrating his brother's birthday when he found out that he topped the bar.
“I guess when you’re a valedictorian, a lot of expectations come up. A lot of faculty told me after graduation, ‘Hey ha top the bar ha,’” he added.
“There was definitely that pressure going into the bar exams but I just thought I guess I don’t owe anybody anything anyway,” he continued.
Initially, 8,701 law graduates were allowed to take the Bar, but more than 500 failed to show up on the first of four Sundays in November 2018 when exams were held.
Only 8,158 examinees appeared on the first day of the examinations. Two more were absent on the succeeding Sundays of the exam, while another one dropped out on the last Bar Sunday.
The exams covered eight subjects: Political Law and Labor Law, Civil Law and Taxation, Mercantile Law and Criminal Law, Remedial Law and Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises.
The 1,800 Bar passers will still need to take their oath and sign the Roll of Attorneys.
Last year, the country welcomed 1,724 new lawyers, posting a 25.5% passing rate. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral with reports from Kristine Joy Patag