To our KSU President Eduardo T.

Bagtang, Dean Marcelino Wacas, KSU management and College of Law

professors, fellow alumni and to everyone… good evening.

I take this as a privilege to speak to you on this memorable night, because I am now facing my
professors, not to recite provisions of law and cases decided by the Supreme Court, but to
testify, on their behalf, to everyone here present, as to the fruit of all that we had undergone
during the past four years of our being together in the KSU College of Law. I am another
product of yours. So, to my professors and KSU College of Law, fellow alumni, KSU
management, and to all the law students who have helped in the 2017 Bar Operations, please
accept my sincerest gratitude. Indeed, no words can ever describe how thankful I am to all of
you.
 
Now, I would like to take this opportunity to share my experiences of becoming a lawyer.

When I enrolled in the KSU College of Law in 2011, one thing that I was sure of was that I AM
GOING TO BE A LAWYER. As others would say, if you want to be a lawyer, you should not
only dream for it. You should WANT it more than anything else if you desperately desire to
become one. Thus, becoming a lawyer is a destiny. I believe that God, long before I was born,
planned for me to become a lawyer.

In law school, I do not have time to read or study because I am a working mom and even if I
have a spare time, I never really read the published textbooks due to time constraint. What I had
been able to read only were the reviewers that I downloaded from the internet including the
cases assigned by our professors to recite in class.

That is why, when I graduated in 2015, I got worried about taking the Bar Exams. I feared
taking the bar exam because I do not want to disappoint all the people who believed in me.
Another reason is that I cannot leave my work and I need to request for a study leave.

But in 2017, I was able to have the courage to try because when I started to read again after two
years of my mind being idle, I realized that it is so hard to adjust and start all over again.

I only studied seriously and concentrated reading when I went to Baguio on the last week of
July 2017 since that was only the time when my application for study leave was approved.
Before I went in Baguio to review, Atty. Comafay gave us some tips. That as much as possible,
read reviewers that were published by reliable authors and make an outline from it. So the first
thing I did when I arrived in Baguio was to buy books or reviewers included in the list given by
him. Funny but that was only the time I bought my own law books in its latest edition not when
I was still in law school. I study for hours from Monday to Friday but if I feel that my brain can
no longer digest or take what I am reading, then I stopped and will not insist to read. Instead, I
text my friends to watch a movie or go window shopping at SM. Then I attend review school
on Saturdays and Sundays. But I also give myself a day-off if I feel so worn out reading.
During the review, I realized that we, KSU Law graduates, were not left behind by Manila law
Schools and other law schools in Baguio. I believed that it is not the school or our professors,
although they play a vital part, that will make us become a lawyer. It is our own self. It is
through self-discipline, perseverance, humility and empathy.

To the undergraduates of the KSU College of Law, my advice would be as follows:

1. Believe, right from the moment you enrolled in law school, that God has a perfect plan for
you. Claim that you will be a lawyer and it will be. You should only invite positive thoughts
because there is really power in believing. So when I pray, during the review, in the actual bar
exam and thereafter, I always thank God in advance for passing the 2017 bar examination
although I am so restless waiting for the result.

2. Secondly, study just enough. Do not strain yourself too much since we are just mortals. We
have limitations unless feeling mo ikaw si superman o wonderwoman! Eight hours a day is all
you need. Minsan pa nga di na talaga kaya ang 8 hours. The brain will not be able to record too
much information in one sitting for a straight 12 hours. Study for a few hours then rest or sleep
for 20 minutes. Scientifically, the brain records what you have read more efficiently if you take
a nap after 2 hours of studying. Also study with a schedule and be faithful to it. For me, because
I really have no time already, I only read my books once, yung iba pa nga hindi ko natapos by
the end of October 2017. I do not believe in reading books for how many times unless you have
the time in the world. I believe in quality reading that is why mabagal ang pacing ko sa
pagbabasa but I make it a point na naintindihan ko talaga ung nabasa ko.

3. Thirdly, do not pile up review materials which you do not need. Dapat nung undergrad mo
nabasa lahat ng klase ng law books. You must know that the contents of these materials are all
the same. They just differ with the way of presentation by the author. So, you must choose a
review material or a book that you want and madali intindihin. Make an outline from it then
yun na lng irereview mo during the pre-week. Do not try to read other books or materials
already kesyo sabihin nila na leakage un o un DAW ibibigay sa bar exam. DON’T BELIEVE a
thing because if ever na un nga ibibgay and if you had really read and understand the concepts
during your review e there will be no reason for you not to answer it kasi parehas lng naman
ung binasa mo sa nabasa nila sa notes na un. I am telling you na magsisisi ka at di mo ulit
binasa ung outline o notes mo from the books you read at andun pala mga sagot like what
happened in my Labor Law. I read and outlined the books 1 and 2 of Sir Poquis in Labor but I
failed to read it again during the pre-week kasi I read other books and some of the questions
asked ay nasa outline ko.

4. Lastly, share what you know, your books and review materials. Hindi pinagpapala ng Diyos
ang mga madadamot. During the preparation and actual bar exam, lahat ng stress e mararanasan
mo. Physical, emotional, mental, psychological and financial stress. So you really need all the
support that each one of you can give to each other. You should also empathize with your
fellow bar exam takers. Do not be so boastful. So kahit ang dali para sau ung exam, if possible
magpretend ka naman na nahirapan ka din. Because we will never know what the result will be.
Assist and help one another. Start making good karma
I especially dedicate this triumph to my husband and my 2 kids, to my parents and
siblings, my in-laws, to KSU Law School and to God.