Women outshine men in 2007 Bar exams

Woman power dominated the 2007 Bar examinations, as they took the top 3 spots, and 7 out of the top 10 positions. Only the fifth, eighth and 10th places were grabbed by men.

Mercedita Ona, a 27-year-old paralegal at the Sycip, Salazar and Gatmaitan law firm, grabbed the number one spot with a grade of 83.55 percent.

Ona, who finished law at the Ateneo de Manila University, said she never expected to top the grueling Bar examinations.

Placing second was Jennifer Ong of the University of the Philippines, garnering a grade of 83.35 percent.

They were followed by Yvanna Maalat (Ateneo de Manila), 82.75 percent; Jennie Aclan (University of San Carlos), 82.10 percent; and John Michael Galauran (University of Nueva Caceres), 81.60 percent.

Ranking sixth was Karen Canullas (San Sebastian College) with 81.40 percent while tying for seventh place were Cecile Mejia (Ateneo de Manila) and Sheryl Ann Tizon (University of the Philippines) with a score of 81.35 percent.

In eighth place was Marforth Fua (San Beda College) with 81.20 percent, followed by Ruby Luy (Ateneo de Davao) with 81.15 percent, and Christian Llido (University of Cebu) and Vivian Tan (University of the Philippines) who were tied for 10th place with a score of 80.90 percent.

Of the 5,626 examinees from 109 law schools nationwide, only 1,289 passed the 2007 Bar exams, which were held on Sept. 2, 9, 16 and 23 last year at the De La Salle University in Manila. Of the passers, more than half are women.

Those who passed represented 22.91 percent of the total examinees, according to Supreme Court Justice Adolfo Azcuna, chairman of the 2007 Committee on Bar Examinations.

“I prayed to God. I just wanted to pass. I never expected to top it. I felt so happy and blessed to have topped it,” she told reporters in a phone interview.

Ona said preparing for the Bar proved tough but taking the Bar was even tougher as she was nursing a migraine during one examination day.

Ona finished her secondary studies at the Notre Dame of Greater Manila in Caloocan City and took her pre-law course at the University of the Philippines.

Data from the Supreme Court revealed women have outshone men in the knowledge of law from 2000 to 2007. In the last eight years, there were 44 women, and 41 men who were included in the top 10 bar passers.

In four of the eight years, there were more women than men who were included in the top ten. These are in 2007 (nine women out of 12 top 10 passers); 2006 (six women out of 11 top ten passers); 2002 (six women out of 11 top 10 passers); and in 2000 (seven women out of 11 passers). In 2005, women and men tied in the top 10 passers.