Decentralize Bar exams, law school dean urges

ALTHOUGH the University of San Carlos and other law schools in the Visayas have proven that they can produce topnotchers and compete with
other schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) with the Bar examinations held solely in Manila, law school administrators here are still pushing for the decentralization of the Bar exams.

Lawyer Joan Largo, Dean of USC School of Law, said having to fly all the way to Manila to take the bar exams is a burden for examinees.

Largo said that the process of finding a place to stay in Manila, adjusting to a new environment and the financial struggle that the examinees may face cause stress that may distract them from being at their best during the exams.

“Ang pagpangayo nato ana (to decentralize), dugay na kaayo. As what the other deans in the Visayas, especially here in Cebu always say, daghan gyud kaayo’g disadvantages nga kinahanglan pa moadtog Manila,” said Largo. (We have asked for the decentralization of the bar exams for a very long time. As what the other deans in the Visayas, especially here in Cebu always say, there are really a lot of disadvantages in having to go to Manila to take the Bar.)

Largo said they will not stop pushing for the decentralization of the bar, which is considered as the toughest examination in the country.

Largo said she was confident that Cebu and other regional schools are highly capable of holding bar examinations, if their request to decentralize the bar would be granted.

She said Cebu, for example, has hosted law school admission tests and other national licensure examinations, which proved it is “more than capable” of hosting the Bar exams.

Largo said the Supreme Court has not given any official response to their request.

She said they were only told that the SC might not be keen on a decentralized Bar exams because of logistical concerns and considerations over how to securely transmit the questionnaires to wherever the exams would be held in the provinces.

Largo added that the deans of Visayas-based law schools are willing to convene again to plan how to address these concerns of the SC.

Gift of Education

Meanwhile, the three new Carolinian lawyers who landed in the top 10 will also have their lifetime “Gift of Education” as a prize for the honor they brought to USC.

Under this program, each topnotcher can nominate a student who will be given a full scholarship for any degree program of his or her choice. The topnotcher, within his/her lifetime, also has the chance to nominate another student for the scholarship each time his or her last nominee has graduated.

Largo said the university, which is run by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), preferred to give scholarships rather than tangible gifts to highlight the value of education.

Cebu City Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos, in a phone interview, said she has filed a resolution on Thursday to give recognition to the three Cebuano topnotchers of the 2017 Bar Examinations.

“It’s a resolution commending them as well as the dean and the School of Law of USC (University of San Carlos),” said Delos Santos.

On the other hand, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said that while he was open to the idea of providing cash incentives to the topnotchers from USC, namely Christianne Mae Balili (Top 2), Ivanne D’laureil Hisoler (Top 4) and Rheland Servacio (Top 7), he would rather prioritize giving cash aid to financially struggling students.

“I’ll leave that to the City Council. Let the council decide on that matter. My priority is those who are going to school, not those who have graduated. We can give them recognition, so that they can do well,” said Osmeña.

Delos Santos said her office would assess if the three topnotchers would qualify for the cash incentives under a city ordinance that grants cash gifts to Cebu City residents who land in the top ten of national licensure examinations.

The ordinance, which Delos Santos co-authored with then Councilor Hanz Abella in 2014, grants a P100,000 cash gift to the Top 1 in Physician’s Board and Bar exams; P50,000 to the second to fifth placers; and P20,000 to the sixth to tenth placers. The Top 1 in other Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) licensure exams will receive P50,000, with second to fifth places receiving P25,000, and P15,000 for sixth and tenth placers under the same ordinance.

In order to qualify for such incentives, the topnotchers must be registered voters in Cebu City regardless of where they study. They must also be of good moral character and should not have committed any crime that would bring dishonor to the city. /WITH REPORTER MOREXETTE MARIE B. ERRAM