Bar topnotcher is also a CPA

By Jerome Aning

The 2007 bar topnotcher Mercedita Ona of Ateneo de Manila University said she was so happy for passing but was no nervous she did not bother to go to the Supreme Court to view the results for herself.

Ona, 27, told the Inquirer in a phone interview this was the first time she took the bar examinations. She is a certified public accountant working for the Sycip law firm.

“It [exam] was very difficult… that’s why I did not go to the Supreme Court in Manila and just viewed the results online,” Ona said.

The top 10 who passed the 2007 bar examinations are the following:

1 Mercedita L. Ona, Ateneo De Manila University, 83.55
2 Jennifer Ong, University of the Philippines-Diliman, 83.35
3 Yvanna BL Maalat, Ateneo, 82.75
4 Jennie C. Aclan, University of San Carlos, 82.10
5 John Michael F. Galauran, University of Nueva Caceres, 81.60
6 Karen S. Canullas, San Sebastian College, 81.40
7 Cecille L. Mejia, Ateneo De Manila University, 81.35
Sheryl Ann D. Tizon, University of the Philippines-Diliman, 81.35
8 Marforth T. Fua, San Beda College, 81.20
9 Ruby M. Luy, Ateneo De Davao University, 81.15
10 Christian B. Llido, University of Cebu, 80.90
Vivian S. Tan, University of the Philippines-Diliman, 80.90

Retired Supreme Court justice Florenz Regalado's score of 96.7 percent is still unsurpassed in Philippine bar exams history

Retired Supreme Court justice Florenz Regalado obtained in 1954 the highest score so far of 96.7 percent in the history of bar examinations in the Philippines, but it was former senator Tecla San Andres-Ziga who became the first woman to top the bar, scoring 89.4 percent in 1930.

Pre-war results of bar topnotchers placed Manuel Roxas as having made history in 1913 by getting an average of 92 percent. A year later, Manuel Goyena beat the record at 93 percent.

The feat of San Andres-Ziga, senator from 1963-1969, was unsurpassed until Cecilia Munoz-Palma, who later became an SC magistrate, obtained 92.6 percent in 1937.

In 1936, Diosdado Macapagal, who became the 9th president of the Philippines, topped the bar exams with a mark of 89.85 percent.

In 1939, Ferdinand Marcos got the highest score of 92.35 percent. He reviewed for the bar exams while facing indictments for the murder of his father’s political enemy. In 1965, Marcos joined the presidential race and defeated the reelectionist father of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In 1944, former Senate President Jovito R. Salonga and former senator Jose W. Diokno both obtained the highest score of 95.3 percent.

Last year, University of the Cordilleras law graduate Noel Neil Q. Malimban topped the examinations with a score of 87.60 percent.