BAR EXAM

Ruthie got angry. Hearing about Elado.

"Kuya(Elder) Juan, why in all the world you tried to help that bastard that tried to kidnap me and r*pe me?"

"You won't understand it if you will not listen," Juan said.

" Ok, let me understand," Ruthie said.

"He is now suffering for his sins, he is now paying not only of what he did to you but for countless others also. What we should do as followers of Christ is to see how we can win evil with good. This is not just a verse to memorize or to post in FB or to decorate as a poster, but a real command and real people to benefit from God's grace. I'm not freeing him from prison, I'm trying to free his soul from sin. Did you remember the thief or the criminal in the cross? Think how Christ saved him because he repented, by acknowledging his sins, and by believing when he said, Remember me when you go to paradise. Who knows God will save a criminal again this time?" Juan said.

"Sorry, I did not see it that way, but now I see what you mean," Ruthie said.

"When you become a lawyer, you are a lawyer with justice and mercy at the same time," Jacky said who heard their conversation on the phone during their video call.

"Yes, Kuya(Elder) a different kind of brand of a lawyer," Ruthie said.

"I don't pass my mock exams, I'm doubling the time of the study, reading and I even had to have a vacation leave in the Security Agency to focus on reading and reviewing.

" Dad Tony and Mama Martha is doing all for me now so I can focus, I had taken memory capsules to help me memorize," Juan said.

Preparing for the Bar examination is so burdensome emotionally, physically, mentally, and psychologically. It is mentally and emotionally depleting. You'd not know what to do so you can accomplish reading and reviewing everything. The huge amount of data and input you'd have to assimilate is occasionally too much for you to deal with. At some periods you get depressed because you think that no matter how hard you review, still, it seems that your endeavors are not yet sufficient to be able to pass the Bar exam. Many times you'd understand that nothing of what you read is actually being absorbed and stored in your memory. All these can make you go crazy if you'd stress yourself too greatly. You'd be stressed out. To retain your mental state, you'd have to find a moment to loosen up and have fun. It is unthinkable to study straight for 10 hours or 24 hours. You need to hang back at times and relax. When I was studying, I play computer games, call Jacky, to relax.

A Bar reviewee would obtain and collect so numerous materials during his review, books, reviewers, memory aids, and all kinds of materials. The amount of materials to look over is so enormous and massive. You'd not have sufficient time going over all of them, no matter how much you'd wish to do so. You really have to select which materials to review. Sometimes, reading so numerous materials can only confuse you. In reality, during the pre-week, one would not have adequate time to read a lot of materials. So, during the review, I need only to chose two materials for every subject, one book, and one reviewer or memory aid. I mastered these two materials. Although sometimes I had qualms if these two are adequate, I just had to believe my decision. And I was not disappointed because sticking to two materials per subject helped me to be more familiar with the materials and enabled me to answer faster during the Mock Bar exam.

I ask my friend lawyers, professors how the actual examination goes. These are what they told me and read to me. these facts.

The difficulty of the recent bar examinations, compared to exams of the past, can be attributed to the following factors:

The growing volume of the Philippine case and statutory laws is unprecedented. Laws, jurisprudence, and legal doctrines of the past constitute only a small fraction of contemporary Philippine legal materials, which are increasing on a daily basis.

The 75% passing average with no grade lower than 50% in any subject is already fixed by law. Actual candidates who scored 74.99% in the general average were not admitted to the practice of law unless they retake the bar exams.

The Three-Failure Rule is now in place. Candidates who have failed the bar exams for three times are not permitted to take another bar exam until they re-enroll and pass regular fourth-year review classes and attend a pre-bar review course in an approved law school.

The Five-Strike Rule is implemented since 2005. The rule limits to five the number of times a candidate may take the Bar exams. The rule disqualifies a candidate after failing in three examinations. However, he is permitted to take fourth and fifth examinations if he successfully completes a one-year refresher course for each examination.

Bar examinations are conducted during all four Sundays of the month of November. Two bar subjects shall be taken every week, one is scheduled in the morning while another is in the afternoon. The examination covers the following topics and their associated subtopic, popularly known as the bar subjects:

First Week - Political Law, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Law on Public Officers, Election Law, Local Government Code, Public International Law, Labor Law, Labor Standards, Labor Relations, Social Legislation.

Second Week - Civil Law, Persons and Family Relations, Property, Obligations and Contracts, Sales, Succession, Lease, Agency and Partnership, Trusts, Credit Transactions, Land Title and Deeds, Torts and Damages, Taxation, General Principles, National Taxation, Local Taxation, Tariff and Customs Code, Judicial Remedies (Revised Rules of the Court of Tax Appeals.

Third Week - Mercantile Laws, Letters of Credit, Warehouse Receipts Law, Trust Receipts Law, Negotiable Instruments Law, Insurance Code, Transportation Law, Corporation Law, Securities Regulation Code, Banking Laws, Special Commercial Laws, Intellectual Property Law, Criminal Law, Revised Penal Code, Special Penal Laws.

Fourth Week - Remedial Law, Rules on Civil Procedure, Rules on Special Proceedings, Rules on Criminal Procedure, Rules on Evidence, Legal and Judicial Ethics, Practice of Law, Code of Professional Responsibility, Code of Judicial Conduct, Practical Exercises.

In the last pre-week, I read a little and sleep, wake up, read a little and sleep.

I jog, I do some mixed martial arts exercises for an hour to be physically fit and had well-balanced food.

I prepared what is needed during the examination. I have a checklist to be sure.

I prepared my motorbike for transportation during the examination.

I planned the contents of my bag ready. I get my color-coded building assignment cards and notice of admission or permit (which must be worn on the exam day), pen, food, water, and other personal matters. It is mandatory for examinees to use only transparent or see-through bags, zip-lock bags, and purses during the bar examinations per Bar Matter No. 2819.

Then first Sunday, second Sunday, Third Sunday, and the fourth Sunday.

Before all these, I funded and donated to all Fraternities and Sororities twenty thousand pesos for the snacks and food during the last week of preparations. I am welcome to all the fraternities although I'm not a regular member. But my name is recorded in their minds and hearts that all my school mates and classmates are my brothers and sisters in law. I'm neutral to all.

In the same manner secretly, the benefits of their members, I also enjoy. Not only from one fraternity but from all including those who have no fraternity. I organized those who have no fraternity from all sections, funded it with Thirty thousand pesos, and like the fraternities, I ask the help of those Juniors, sophomores, or freshman to voluntarily help. They carry the school name to help our BAR examinees.

"Why you fund those activities from your pocket?" Tony asked.

"Dad, that is an investment of friendship, that we sow now, and let it grow, someday expectedly or not, we will reap it. Money can be used for evil, but we can use it for good and God's glory.