PhiLSAT 2019 Advisory

The Supreme Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to stop Legal Education Board from implementing their LEB Memo. No. 18. This Memo covers the eligibility of incoming Law Students for the Academic Year 2018-2019. Moreover, this Memo also prohibited the Conditional Enrollment of Non-PhiLSAT Takers.

Last March 19, 2019, The Legal Education Board issued LEB Memo No. 27 (2019).

The Memo states that since the Supreme Court only issued a TRO regarding the implementation of the LEB Memo No. 18, the April 7, 2019 will push through as scheduled.

The following maybe conditionally admitted and enrolled as freshmen/1st ear students in the basic law course by law schools in the incoming first semester of Academic Year 2019-2020,
1. Those who have not taken the PhiLSAT;

2. Those who have taken the PhiLSAT but did not pass;

3. Those who have passed the PhiLSAT but have expired Certificates of Eligibility;

4. College Honor Graduates without Certificates of Exemption; and

5. College Honor Graduates with expired Certificates of Exemption;

If a student is conditionally accepted, he/she is required to take the next scheduled PhiLSAT on September 2019 or else, his/her conditional enrollment shall be automatically revoked and barred from enrolling in the following semester.

The Conditional Application Form is found here

To read the full text of the memo, please see attached photos below.

PHILSAT 2019 EXAM DATE: APRIL 7, 2019

BAR EXAM SCORE CALCULATOR

Instructions:

*Input your desired score in each of the 8 Bar Subjects.
*The relative weight is the percentage assigned by the Supreme Court per subject.

*This is just a simulation in order for you to weigh on the possible scenarios for you to pass the grueling Bar Exams.
*Enjoy!

2017 BAR EXAMS: COMPARATIVE STATISTICAL DATA

SUBJECTS	MEDIAN RATING	HIGHEST RATING	LOWEST RATING	EXAMINEES WHO PASSED		EXAMINEES WHO FAILED
				NUMBER	PERCENTAGE	NUMBER	PERCENTAGE
POLITICAL AND INTERNATIONAL LAW	65.14%	97.00%	7.00%	1,427	21.1126%	5,332	78.8874%
LABOR AND SOCIAL LEGISLATION	66.10%	98.00%	0.00%	1,487	22.0003%	5,272	77.9997%
CIVIL LAW	76.10%	100.00%	10.00%	4,033	59.7039%	2,722	40.2961%
TAXATION	68.45%	93.00%	38.00%	1,606	23.7750%	5,149	76.2250%
MERCANTILE LAW	68.10%	93.00%	20.00%	1,443	21.3778%	5,307	78.6222%
CRIMINAL LAW	62.85%	91.00%	18.00%	1,193	17.6714%	5,557	82.3259%
REMEDIAL LAW	72.65%	99.00%	31.00%	3,238	47.9846%	3,510	52.0154%
LEGAL ETHICS AND PRACTICAL EXERCISES	74.66%	97.00%	38.00%	3,514	52.0747%	3,234	47.9253%

NOTE: 

The subject which has the highest number of passers is Civil Law while Criminal Law subject has the least number of passers

Here are the list of examiners for each subject

SUBJECT	EXAMINER
POLITICAL LAW AND INTERNATIONAL LAW	FORMER COMELEC COMMISSIONER MEHOL SADAIN
LABOR AND SOCIAL LEGISLATION	(Ret.) COURT OF APPEALS JUSTICE FRANCIS ACOSTA
CIVIL LAW	ATTY. ARTURO DE CASTRO
TAXATION LAW	ATTY. LEONOR BOADO
MERCANTILE LAW	ATTY. RAUL VASQUEZ
CRIMINAL LAW	ATTY. ALEXANDER PADILLA
REMEDIAL LAW	ATTY. WILLARD RIANO
LEGAL ETHICS AND PRACTICAL EXERCISES	COURT OF APPEALS JUSTICE MARIO V. LOPEZ

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE BAR CONFIDANT

CONFESSIONS OF A BAR FLUNKER

It has been told a million times over that once a law student graduates from law school, the student already earned the letters "ATTY". One letter earned after completing one year in Law School; the one missing is that elusive "dot" or "." to complete the shortened title of Attorney.

I graduated from Law School last May 2017.

I took the Bar last November of 2017.

The Bar Results were released April 26, 2018.

More than 6,000 bar examinees were hopeful to catch that elusive "dot"; it was revealed in the morning that only 25.55% passed the bar exams.

The list of the Top 20 were initially released.

At around 1:00 pm, the official list were posted and were flashed before a big LED board in the Supreme Court Compound.

As the names started to flash starting with those family names starting with A; you could hear the shouts and cheers of those well-wishers and actual bar examinees who successfully passed the exam. For every scream and shouts heard, media members will automatically surround and crowd the bar passer; for sure they will become viral and be shown in National TV later that day (2 of blocmates became viral that day)

So the list goes on, slowly but surely, the Family Names starting with P,R,S,T started to flash; my heart started to pound because of nervousness, anxiety and excitement all at once.

U, V, W, X...

Then all the passers with Family Names starting Y and Z were flashed.

Ydia, Ronald Allan De Guzman was not in the list.

I failed.

I was not part of the 1,728 or 25.55% who passed the so-called #BersaminBattle.

I was not able to get that elusive "dot".

If I probably had the superpowers of Doctor Strange, I would've magically inserted my name in the list but I can't do it, I am neither a member of an Avengers nor am I a ridiculously-good looking Marvel Character.

I was obviously disappointed with the result but I prayed earlier that day that aside from passing the Bar, I would like God to give me the strength the accept the result if it turned out to be negative. My fiance and I went to 4 churches (Edsa Shrine, Sto. Domingo, Quiapo Church and St. Jude) before going to the Supreme Court; When we were at the Sto. Domingo Church, I felt that my mind and my heart is at ease that whatever the result maybe, I would accept it.

After learning that I failed the Bar, I immediately texted my Mom. I also informed my Boss, my officemates and other well-wishers who messaged me during the morning and those who were with me during my Bar Exam Journey.

I didn't shed a single tear when I was at the SC compound but my fiance was crying the whole time, offering me words of encouragement which I am extremely grateful for; I congratulated my law school friends and blocmates who made it and afterwards, my fiance and I left to go to Baclaran Church as planned; we planned when we were in Quiapo Church, that whatever the result maybe, we will go to Baclaran Church to pray.

While riding the LRT going to the Baclaran Church, my mother was calling me via FB messenger but I let Grace answered the phone for me because I was not ready to talk to my mom that time, I was ashamed because I felt that I didn't made my mother proud.

But due to the insistence of Grace, I talked to my mom and I heard the voice of my mom with a cheerful tone, she said that it is ok because I can still retake the Bar Exams this coming November and I that I must not give up.

Right then and there, It finally sink-in and I felt a sudden rush of emotions as I was trying to fight back my tears; it didn't help that my family kept giving me messages of support saying that in their eyes, I am already a lawyer;

I kept my composure throughout that LRT ride until we reached Baclaran Church; I prayed to the Lord that I Trust His Plan and that I am still thankful because despite failing the Bar Exams, He still continuously shower us with His Blessings and that I am lucky that I have a loving and supportive family who always have my back.

Later that night, when I was about to take a shower before going to sleep, that was when tears were uncontrollably fell through my face. Thankfully I was not bawling like a kid throwing a tantrum.

If this happened to me when I was a lot younger, I would have doubted the authenticity of the results because I know that I have poured my blood,sweat and tears to prepare for the Bar Exams. I would have laughed at those who passed because back in Law School, I know I was better than them. In short, I will be sour-graping.

Thank God, it was not that case.

I congratulated my friends who passed via FB Messenger and Viber; some in an attempt to probably console me and make me feel better, told me that I was better than half of those who passed the exams and that they were just lucky to pass the exams; I simply replied, "It is not just my time and that this is their time to fulfill their dreams of becoming a lawyer".

For full disclosure, I only felt a tinge of envy when my friends posted their pictures during the oath-taking ceremonies as well as the roll-signing; I wished I was also took the oath at the PICC and signed at the Lawyers Roll.

But for now, I have to lick my wounds and dust-off the negativity because I will try again to take the Bar Exams this 2018.

Hopefully this time, I would be able to get that elusive "dot"

MY #NOVEMBAR2017 EXPERIENCE

When I entered Law school, the "Bar Month" is my most favorite part of the Legal Calendar.

It is during this time that the whole school is praying and wishing each Bar examinees all the best as they set to take one of the hardest licensure exams in the Philippines.

The Bar month is my favorite because aside from assisting bar examinees, there is a lot food and overflowing drinks during this time. (This is specially true if you join the Bar Operations of your school or you are affiliated to an organization/fraternity/sorority which conducts bar operations)

Let me share to you my story from the time of Faculty Deliberations up to my own experience in the Bar Month.

*caveat - this post is a long one*

FACULTY DELIBERATIONS to GRADUATION DAY

May 19 was the date of the Faculty Deliberations ("Delibs")

The Delibs is conducted in order to determine who among the graduating students will be included in the coveted "List of Graduates for 2017". 

It was nerve-wracking specially when it was already in the afternoon. The delibs is conducted during that time and the list is posted usually between 8-9 pm. I kept my mind busy by watching shows in iFlix and NetFlix alternatively but the pressure was just way too much to bear.

A lot of "what if" scenarios were playing in my head during that time.

"What if I did not make the list?, will I transfer to another law school just to be able to take the bar this year?" Actually I was hoping to at least make it to the removals list so that I still have a fighting chance to graduate.

When the clock striked 6pm, I was constantly checking at San Beda College-Alabang School of Law's (SBCA) Facebook page and Twitter page for any updates. I was also chatting with my fellow graduating students, asking for updates.

The list of the graduates were posted online around 8:45 pm.

I muttered a silent prayer and took a deep breath before opening the link.

When I saw my name in the list, I became teary-eyed.

FINALLY!

After 6 years, 2 years in San Beda Mendiola and 4 years in Alabang, I was able to graduate in Law School.

The moments after seeing my name in the list was a blur.

Fast forward to the Graduation, I was number 159 out 161 graduates that day. It was the largest batch of graduates to date. We barely fit into the SBCA Chapel because aside from the graduates, families and well-wishers were also inside.

BAR REVIEW PERIOD

Fortunately, my boss allowed me to take a study leave starting the second week of June. She was generous and supportive that I was still able to receive salary despite not required to report to work during my entire bar review.

For my bar review center, I chose to enroll to the Legal Edge Bar Review Center because I like their scientific approach for preparing their reviewees for the Bar. Aside from giving us exercises which would make us memorize the codal provisions, they also give trivia and mini-quizzes before the start of every review session. The review classes are scheduled on weekends which is convenient for me because I will be able to prepare during the weekdays. They also scheduled their review classes in such a way that the subjects for the fourth and final week of the Bar exams will be reviewed first. This method is optimal because the last subjects to be discussed will the be the first ones to be discussed in the pre-week. It gives a sense that the discussions is still fresh.

It was hard for me to study during the month of June to August because law students are used to studying in preparation for the recitation or examination. However, the real examination is still 4-5 months away. Attending review classes without reviewing the coverage beforehand will only bore you and the discussion will not interest you because you're not prepared to listen.

The best case scenario is before you attend the review classes, you have already finished the coverage, which will be your first reading. Attending the review classes will reinforce what you read in the first reading which in turn will be your second reading.

Also, I find it hard to read the new books I bought for the review because it made my pace so slow.

Moreover, bar review notes from other review centers will come in bunches which makes it extra difficult which ones will you prioritize to read.

Rumors regarding Bar examiners will also surface throughout the review period.

This is also the period when most of the bar examinees will experience weight gain.  Personally, I gained a lot because my daily meal consists of Frappucinos from Coffee shops and slices of cakes.
Not to mention, the occasional food trips that my co-bar reviewees in order to just "eat the stress" away so to speak.

PRE-WEEK PERIOD

This is the week is in preparation for the two subjects for the Sunday Exam.

During this time, Pre-week notes will be given. This is essential because this is where all the topics were streamlined and the favorite topics of the rumored examiners are highlighted.

During the first pre-week, my stress level is on a all-time high because of the fast approaching exams. It also doesn't help that our Bar Exam Chairman Justice Bersamin is notoriously strict with regard to academic examinations.

HOTEL OPERATIONS

SBCA held their bar operations at Makati Shangri-La. We realized that it is more convenient that SBCA did not join San Beda Mendiola in their bar operations at Diamond Hotel because aside from the fact that Diamond Hotel cannot accommodate the two schools, the elevators are not that too jam-packed which turned out to be very convenient for us examinees,and the volunteers as well.

It was weird for me that I was the one receiving the food in my room instead of the one delivering it. I was a BarOps runner for 5 years. 

The Makati Shangri-la was great but I didn't enjoy my stay like I would want to. I didn't get to enjoy the pool nor at least use the bath tub because I was cramming to finish my pre-week notes.

My routine for the four Sundays  is to get up at 3:00 AM, take a bath and eat breakfast at 4:00 am and take the bus to UST at 4:30 am.

BAR EXAMS PROPER

My examination room is located at the Main Building of UST. Usually I would arrive at our designated room at 5:00 am. The travel from Makati to UST is quite quick and easy because we have traffic police escorting our bus.

The first exam starts at 8:00 am to 12 nn.

First bell rings at 7:30 am. During this time, we are no longer allowed to read our review materials or LMTs. We are only allowed to bring water and light snacks inside the room. The booklets and the questionnaires will be distributed during this time.

Second bells rings at 8:00 am. This signals the start of the exam.

Third bell rings at 11:30 am

Fourth bell rings at 11:45 am

Fifth bell rings at 12:00 nn

Second exam starts at 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

For the first two weeks of the Bar Exams, the afternoon subjects were very hard. I am not saying that the Morning subjects were easy but I'd say those exams were fair.

The Labor Exam was hard because the exam consists a lot of sub-questions. It was very long! I'm sure a lot of us who took the exams had tired hands after the exam.

The Difficulty of the Tax Exam is unimaginable. From 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm I had nothing to write in either my test booklet nor my test paper. I was just stunned at the magnitude of the questions.
The exam was so hard, Justice Japar Dimaampao told us at the Pre-Week of our Commercial Law Review that his Associates also find the exam hard and that when he read the test questions, he muttered a short prayer for us. IT WAS THAT HARD

THE THIRD SUNDAY CONSISTING OF MERCANTILE/COMMERCIAL LAW AND CRIMINAL LAW IS SO HARD IT DESERVES TO BE WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS, BOLD AND UNDERLINED

For the fourth and last Sunday, I felt like Justice Bersamin gave us a fighting chance to bounce back from that disastrous 2nd and 3rd week.

Remedial Law is 20% of the entire Bar score so it is imperative to get a high score on that exam to pull-up the sad scores from the early exams hoping that it would be enough to get to the passing mark.

BAR SALUBONG

After the exams, I was mentally, physically and emotionally drained and tired. It came to a point where I think I can't drink alcohol to celebrate the end of the exams just because I was so tired.

I became emotional during the mass celebrating the end of the Bar Exams in San Beda Mendiola.
Father Rembert told us that our job or task is done, we have reviewed and finished the Bar Exams; the result of the exams is no longer in our hands, but it is now with the Lord.

Right after the mass, I went to the Bar Salubong party together with my fellow bar examinees; the party was organized by my org in San Beda, Alliance for Alternative Action (AAA).

We drank and played music until the wee hours of Monday.

I kid you not if I told you that the morning after the last exam of the bar is so serene. For the first time since entering law school, I had never think about my backlogs after waking up in the morning. I felt so free. I loved that feeling.

Maybe 2 weeks before the release of the results of the Bar, I will feel the pressure again mounting in my chest but for now.

Hoping and praying that when the time of the results will be released, I will be one of the successful passers.

CAN WORKING STUDENTS SURVIVE LAW SCHOOL?

To answer the question right of the bat, OF COURSE THEY CAN!

This is my tribute to all working students who toiled their way in surviving law school while also going to the usual "8-5pm" work routine. I have my utmost respect to you guys! Kudos!

I am fortunate to have a supportive Mom who pays for my tuition fees in Law School, gives me my weekly allowance and all of my daily needs and wants. (Thanks Ma, you're the best!)

There were times that I realized that I am privileged to able to enroll in Law School without ever spending a single centavo out of my own pocket. That my only job is to study hard so that all the hardwork of my mother in paying for all my law school expenses will be all worth it.

Allow me to share my story when I became a "legitimate" working student for the first time.

Last June 27, 2016, I had my first experience being a "legitimate employee".  It was my first time to sign up for membership for PhilHealth, SSS and Pag-ibig. Moreover, it was also my first time to sign an employment contract with contract stipulations regarding probationary status, regularization, leaves among others; my previous work experiences were only mostly project-based, only good for 2-3 months.

Being a working student is new to me, so when the readers of my blog would ask if a working student can survive law school, I would tell a story about my friends and acquaintances who are living testament that a working student could thrive and survive Law School. Before, I don't have a personal knowledge regarding the matter. However, that all changed.

As I only have 7 subjects left in order to graduate in Law School, I decided to look for a job.

I applied in a law firm in Makati named Marisol Caneja and Associates Law Office. The firm specializes in corporate law. All of its clients are foreign companies which were established in Malaysia and Singapore. Those companies would like to expand their operations here in the Philippines and avail of the benefits of being a registered enterprise in the Philippine Economic Zone (PEZA)

Fortunately, there was a vacancy in the Firm and it doesn't hurt that the owner of the Law Office is an alumna of my Law School Organization in San Beda. In short, I was hired.

PREPARING FOR CLASS RECITATIONS AND EXAMS

Two of the common struggles of a working student is how to prepare for the daily class recitations and how to study during examination week.

The first few months were tough because I am not used to going to office at 9 am and I have barely enough time to prepare for the class recitations. Luckily, my boss, Atty. Marisol Caneja, is kind enough to allows the working students to leave the office 3 hours before our scheduled class to have time to travel to school and prepare for class.

The travel to Alabang from Makati is not that hard because of the Point-to-point (P2P) Bus Service from Greenbelt 1 to Alabang Town Center. My travel time from Makati to San Beda Alabang takes about 30-45 minutes.

The arrangement in the office is so favorable to working students like me. I am fortunate that the firm measures the performance of their employees through the quality of their output. The philosophy of our boss is that what's the use of an employee who goes to work from 9am to 6pm if his work output is poor.

I have friends who work in call centers; they go straight to work after attending classes. I admire them because they only take short naps to catch up the necessary sleeping hours. They study for about 30-40 minutes in the Library and they take a short nap afterwards.

Those short naps will be shorten or even negated when there is Examination week. I have friends who only had 1 hour of sleep just to try to finish all their backlogs. They don't take work leaves because they only have at least 5 of those every year.

Here again lies a big difference from my employer to the other employers; our Boss is kind enough for us to take work leaves for the entire week for us to have enough time to prepare for the exams. The best thing is those leaves are not charged to our 5 work leaves allotted to us every year.

Maybe I am not the best person to share how working students can excel in Law school despite their busy schedules but I would like to share the Valedictory Speech of Carlos Hernandez from UP College of Law.

He works from 7 am to 4 pm and reads his reading assignments inside the MRT, Jeepney and other public commute (That's what you call dedication!) He is truly an inspiration; his speech also shares the experiences of his friends and blockmates in Law School who were also working students.

Another prominent working Law Student is Kenneth Manuel, the one behind the famous "Your Lawyer Says" Account in Social Media. He is a Certified Public Accountant and has a day job at the same time is enrolled as a full-time student in UST Faculty of Civil Law. Being a working student did not deter him from excelling in class as he is a consistent Dean's Lister in Law.

He once posted using the Your Lawyer Says that studying in Law School would be more fun if it is without the financial pressure. He added that the students whose tuition fees are paid by their parents are lucky and privileged.

Those are a few of the success stories in Law school regarding working students who survived Law School. I am sure you there are a lot of them in Law school. Law students who came from different walks in life but united by the same dream and that is to become a lawyer.

So if you are planning to enroll in law school but is thinking twice on whether you can manage to work and study at the same, the answer is, YES.

YES YOU CAN.