CEBU, Philippines — Cebu’s lone 2023 Bar examinations topnotcher is from the University of San Jose-Recoletos and an employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
The recently released results of the Philippine Bar Exams showed that Atty. Paulo Batulan, with a rating of 88.25 percent, finished as rank eight among the 10,372 examinees.
Of the 10,372, only 3,812 passed the exams, or a national passing percentage of just 36.77 percent.
In a press conference yesterday, the 27-year-old Batulan, a Certified Public Accountant who finished his Juris Doctor degree as cum laude and as class valedictorian only this year, said he was actually confident to top the exams, but just among the top 11 to 20 passers.
“Pag-announce sa Top 20, to be honest, I was expecting (to be part of it) because of the support of the USJ-R law school,” he said.
Batulan, who hails from Minglanilla, Cebu, said that when his name did not show up even after the 11th place was announced, he felt discouraged.
“Pag-announce sa top 8, wala na ko kakita sa akong name, ang akong nakit-an ang ako nang nawong nga ni-appear (sa screen). Na-amazed ko, grabe akong kalipay, nisiyagit ra gyud ko, nihilak ra gyud ko, when I learned nga ni top ko sa bar examinations,” he said.
A BS Accountancy magna cum laude graduate of USJ-R, Batulan currently works at the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Mandaue City, where he said he would continue working for at least the next two years.
He said that after two years, he intends to be part of the USJ-R Law School faculty for him to also share his knowledge and techniques on how to pass the bar exams to aspiring lawyers of the school.
Meanwhile, former The Freeman assistant news editor John Destacamento (see separate story) and former ABS-CBN reporter Carine Asutilla-Lapid were also among the 2023 bar exams successful takers.
“When I prayed to God to make me a lawyer, one of my personal whys was to witness my parents, 69 and 65 years old, actually find and read my name on the magic list. Nay, Tay, abogado na inyong Juan,” said Destacamento, in a Facebook post.
Also in a Facebook post, Atty. John Dx Lapud, Metropolitan Cebu Water District customer care division manager, paid tribute to his wife, saying, “2093 Congratulations! Mommy, Carine Era Asutilla Lapid all hard work paid off!”
Aside from Batulan bagging 8th place in the bar exams, USJ-R, with 48 passers of 99 takers, also ranked fourth (448.38 percent) in terms of highest passing percentage for law schools in the country with 51 to 100 takers, a ranking that University of Cebu topped with a passing percentage of 76.67 percent (46 passers of 60 takers).
And with 170 passers of 187 takers, the University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance ranked third (90.91 percent),in this year's bar exams in terms of highest passing percentage among law schools with more than 100 examinees.
“Top 3 best performing law school in Category A, 90.91 passing percentage, 170 Carolinian lawyers. Excellence is here, and it is in USC Law,” said Atty. Joan Largo, former dean of USC School of Law and Governance, in her Facebook post.
“Indeed, you are our Paglaum (Hope), UC Law 2023 Bar examinees! Top 1 performing law school (51-100 examinees) in the country! Congratulations, UC Law and to all the professors, staff, and administration!! My heart is full! Alhamdulillah!!,” also said UC Dean Al-Shwaid de Leon Ismael.
For his part, USJ-R School of Law dean Jonathan Capanas said he was proud and thankful that they produced a topnotcher and their school ranked fourth in its category.
“Praise be to God for giving us this opportunity to have a topnotcher and this is because of the support of all our faculty members and the school administration,” he said. — (FREEMAN)