THE FACULTY of Civil Law produced 98 new lawyers this year, giving the University a remarkable 66-percent passing rate that is way better than the 22.9-percent national passing rate in the 2007 Bar examinations.
Although no Thomasian entered the top 10 this year, acting Dean Roberto Abad expressed satisfaction with the result, saying that UST has consistently performed well in the Bar exams for the past ten years.
“Our examinees have been showing excellent results every year and it is no longer a surprise to us,” Abad told the Varsitarian.
Abad added that this year’s results even exceeded the Faculty’s expectation.
Out of 119 Thomasian examinees, 98 passed, with 79 first-time takers. A total of 1,289 Bar passers attended the oath-taking ceremony for new lawyers last April 29 at the Philippine International Convention Center.
Having Thomasians in the top 10 may be a bonus for UST, but a high passing rate remains as the Faculty’s primary concern, Abad said.
“It is better if we have another topnotcher like (Arlene) Maneja,” Abad said. “But what matters most to the Faculty is that we are able to contribute many reliable lawyers to the country and that most, if not all Thomasians, pass the exam.”
Maneja, who scored an average of 92.90 in 2002, was the third Thomasian Bar topnotcher after former president Diosdado Macapagal and Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion who scored 89.1 and 89.85 in the 1936 and 1924 Bar examinations, respectively.
Last year, UST registered a fairly high 71.43 passing rate over the national passing rate of 30.6 with Marian Joanne Co landing on 17th place to become the highest ranked Thomasian in the 2006 Bar exams.
