I was outside  the Office for a whole week attending a Financial Investigative Training sponsored by the Philippine Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) and conducted by Art Mendez of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), when the Bar Exam result was scheduled to be released. It was scheduled on a tuesday, but was was finally moved Friday that week. Every participants wished me good luck after the training. Curiously, I was still feeling normal. I even had the courage to sing Black-eyed-pea’s “I gotta Feeling”…. I gotta feeling, that tonight’s gonna be a goodnight! that tonight gonna be a good good night!

I used all the courage I got and decided to go to the Supreme Court and wait there for the result, I was accompanied by a brother in the fraternity who was also waiting for the result of the bar. For the first time in the last six months, I felt that I was intense, and somewhat nervous. My boss met me up in the Supreme Court and waited with me. From the original scheduled released of 6pm, the result was finally revealed around 10 pm! My heart was pounding so hard and fast! I thought I flunked! until I was told that I was looking at the wrong monitor. I was the longest and most intensed five (5) minutes for me. I can feel my heart pounding so fast as each name in the monitor were shown. At last! my name came! 996. PALAD, DENNIS M.!!!

I screamed! shouted! I cursed! I Jumped! over and over and over! until i cried so hard and called my mother to deliver the good news! The happiest day so far in my life!

The caller on the other line was an HR trying to conduct a phone interview. It was regarding my job application as a legal researcher in a legal service outsourcing company, handling United States cases. AT first she asked me some personal questions regarding my educational background, previous employment and work experiences even my expected salary. After asking questions, it was her turn to talk about the company I was applying for. But because I was still in a sleepy mode, I was not able to understand most of what she was saying. She was like voice record, speaking so fast and ignoring her comma and period!And for me, she was just babbling, saying gibberish words. And when she was finished, I just said ok, and she even asked me if i get it, I just said yes… I didn’t want her to repeat them.

She asked me for my convenient time the next day for my initial interview, I told her around 10am. And there she is again, speaking so fast and I didn’t get the address she mentioned! But this time she didn’t asked me if I got it, and she just hang-up the phone. So, I just checked my application in Jobstreet and there I found the address.

However, midnight of the same day, while I was harvesting my Farm Town in Facebook, I received a message requesting me to drop by in MMDA office to fill-in a Personal Data Sheet (PDS), submit my requirements, and have my schedule for the examination. So, I decided to decline the invitation for an initial interview and went instead in MMDA. I told the HR that due to family emergency, I will not be able to appear for the interview. This was the second instance that I rejected an invitation for an interview, the first one was for the position of Legal Assistant for Hyatt Industrial Corp.

I was endorsed for a position in MMDA as Legal Assistant for the Legal Director, so i am hoping that I will be spending my few months in the legal services of MMDA while waiting for the 2009 Philippine Bar Exam result.

Judy Lardizabal, a law student from the San Sebastian College, emerged on top of the 1,310 examinees who passed the 2008 Bar Examination.

The exam has a 20.58 percent passing rate, lower than last year’s 22.91 percent. A record 6,364 examinees from 109 law schools took the test in September 2008

Lardizabal who got a score of 85.70 percent is followed by Mylene Amerol-Macumbal of the Mindanao State University with 85.65.

Third is Oliver Baclay Jr. of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) with 85.6; followed by Majesty Eve Jala of Ateneo (85.50); Ma. Elizabeth Liceralde of the University of the Philippines (85.40); and Michael Macapagal also of UP (84.15).

Denise Dy and April Love Regis both from ADMU are tied at seventh place (84.00), followed by Christine Joy Tan of ADMU (83.80).

Shirley Velasquez of UP and Gian Jacob of San Beda are on the ninth spot (83.75). Vanessa Raymundo of San Beda Collage (83.70) completes the top 10.

2008-bar-exam-results