Boy who once dreamed to become a priest, now a Bar topnotcher

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — 2019 Bar exam eighth placer Anton Luis Avila, 29, dreamed of becoming a "man of the cloth" when he was young.

He finished Applied Science in Math at Ateneo De Manila University though he loves music, said his father, former youth representative, Baguio City councilor and veteran criminal lawyer Edgar Avila.

At Ateneo, Anton was a member of the Ateneo Glee Club. He pursued his love for music at the University of the Philippines College of Music for two years. He then spent another two years at Thompson Reuters.

When Avila returned to Baguio, he taught math at Saint Louis University for undergraduate classes and eventually took up law.

“I saw how a lawyer can help in problems no one else can,” Avila said. "I saw that from my dad and that was when the dream began.”    

Avila was a consistent dean’s lister at SLU School of Law, where his father was a former dean.

The younger Avila said he was surprised by the 2019 Bar examination results for he never thought of becoming one of the topnotchers. 

“I know that there are at least 2 ,103 examinees, probably even more who deserve this spot than me. It's a big enough blessing to even pass the Bar, much more to top it,” he said.

“I stand on the shoulders of giants. I wouldn't have passed the Bar without the help of my family, my friends and my professors from law school. This victory is as much theirs as it is mine,” the topnotcher said.

Avila's feat ended the over three decades of Bar exam top 10 drought of the university. 

“The light of the north shines on bright as (Avila) lands on the top ten of the bar exams,” the SLU School of Law said in a statement.

The topnotcher said he wants to practice law in Baguio City since he wants to contribute to the community.