REACTION PAPER

By: Roanna B. Icot

It is the nature of human being to be indifferent for change. Most especially if

such change would lead you out of your comfort zone. At first, I was really not in
favor of JUDGE PAQUEO’s pronouncement that we will be having an On-the-Job
Training at Public Attorney’s Office.

I felt it was most inconvenient in my part as a working student wherein I do

not have plenty of time to render more duties outside the conventional time I have
already set beforehand. Nevertheless, the experience I had was certainly worth the
time spent therein. I can say that the subject “Legal Counselling” was given life in
such feat.

As an OJT at PAO, I was able to hear various counsels given by the duty
officer. In my mind I have asked if I would be able to give the precise advice to my
clients if given the opportunity that I would be a lawyer someday. It sunk in my mind,
that lawyers indeed have great responsibility towards the community. I have seen in
the eyes of every client, the mixed emotions of desperation, anxiety and the doubts
for maybe the fear of having no money and yet they are being treated politely by
someone having authority. I can see the faith they put in every word of the lawyer
serving them. The trust and reliance in their eyes is simply profound and beyond
explanation.

I have observed that the lawyers in PAO are very smart and very
knowledgeable. They seem to know all the law. They can right away answer and
give advice for whatever the clients will ask them. It really encourage me to study
again my previous subjects and review them heartily so that, I too, would be able to
answer the person that may ask me.

I honestly like the OJT I had rather than having a lesson inside the four
corners of our classroom. I firmly believed that the OJT is more effective and more
practical as far as the “Legal Counselling” subject is concerned.

As regards the lawyers in PAO, I really respect them and deeply admire their
kindness and patience to their clients. They are very respectful and kind to the
people asking for their help considering that these people are the kinds that cannot
afford to pay back the services they render to them. Despite this fact, the lawyers in
PAO Cebu remained their kindness and patience towards these poor people. And I
really want to be like them also when God wills that I would be one too in the future.

I am grateful for the opportunity given to be able to render duty and observe at
the Public Attorney’s Office. I have much more appreciated the law profession. I
have thought that in a way, I was not mistaken for taking up this path.