The Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Northern Samar Chapter conducted a 3-legged affair just this afternoon. Being a new member of the IBP, I was invited to deliver a testimonial on my experiences, on how I did pass the Bar. I was challenged, so I willingly accepted it. Now, please do me a favor, and take time to read. Here it goes...
"Good evening, Your Honors, Counsels, may I respectfully enter my appearance as a new member of IBP-Northern Samar Chapter."
Forgive me but I don't want to speak anymore about the 2014 Bar Exams. Even with the suggestion of the sitting Chapter President Atty. Cuyco that I give a "reload" of the testimonial I made during the opening of his review center, I am very sorry but really I cannot give in to his request. However, I am very much willing to tell you another story.
During our childhood or grade
school days, i am very sure that almost all of us here had been asked about what
to become someday. One upon a time in my life, when I was in grade 1, we were asked by one of my teachers. “What is your ambition? What do you want to become
when you grow up?” The most common answers of my classmates then, especially
the boys, were to become a pilot, a soldier or an engineer. Most of the girls would
like to become a teacher or a bank employee. My classmates roared in laughter
when I answered, “I want to become a magician.” My teacher wondered and asked, “Seriously?
Tell my why? Do you want to change the world? Do you want to make money out of
your magic?” I said, “Yes, I want to learn magic. I want to learn tricks on how
to file masterfully the mah-jong tiles. I want to learn tricks on how to hide
and change deck of playing cards, so I could always win in any mah-jong or card
session. I want to learn tricks on how to flip “hantak” coins the right way. I
want to gamble and win big through magic.” That’s how I saw the world at 6
years old. You know I grew up in this gambling neighborhood and all I saw everyday
was gambling. Playing cards were our daily bread. I lived, slept and dined at the
mah-jong table. I did not regret that, not because I could do nothing about it,
but also because that helped me grow to what I am today.
My teacher, being so concerned
about me, tried to change my view. She constantly reminded me that such was not
a good dream for me. “You must become a priest instead. You must someday be
called Fr. Clarence,” she said. She was constantly prodding me. And being young
at that, I was persuaded, oh yeah, I said, "I should become a priest. I will be
called “Father.” So to start achieving that dream I mingled first with altar
boys at age 8 and became one for 10 years, serving 3 strict parish priests.
However I did not forget about becoming a magician, alongside with being an
altar boy, I had mastered the art of gambling, memorized the edges of our 4 mah-jong
sets. Learn a lot of card tricks. I practiced my tricks using my fellow altar boys
and the priests’ nephews as dummies, and as a result I easily collected their Sunday
service allowances via card games. I made my personalized “Bicycle” playing card
and won big during wakes or lamay. With hard work, I did become a little
magician, while on the tip of becoming a priest. On one side, I had memorized
novenas, as well as the sequences and recitations of religious rituals. I
follow religiously and literally the footsteps of my priests.
However, when I was about to
finish high school, one gambler in my neighborhood had this irritating influence
on me. The late Judge Emma Balite, a professional gambler, but who suffered
great defeat in my hands while I was still 15 years old, was being serious in
reshaping my destiny. Almost every day and almost every time she lost, she
would always tell me. “You cannot be a priest. But you can be a lawyer. There is
no way you cannot be a lawyer. Enrol in law school after finishing college.” I
wondered why, so I asked her. She retorted, “You will become a lawyer because your
memory is good. You can even memorize your tiles. You can memorize your cards. You
are good in logic, you can very well guess my next pass. Moreover, you outwit a Judge.” I
did not quite understand her, so I would just answer, “OK I will try, are you gonna play
tomorrow, Judge?”
That constant joke of Mana Emma
lingered in my mind. Why wouldn’t I try becoming a lawyer? So, by the next
school year, I found myself enrolling in political science class. I graduated
from college. However, things became more complicated because after graduation, or
even years before that, I had already felt that becoming a father was more of a
reality than becoming a lawyer. The girls’ feelings were always mutual. I could
not anymore contain it, so that the feelings won over ambition. But I was never
out of track of my listed dreams. I did follow my teacher’s dream for me. Instantly, I became
Fr. Clarence. I became a father to my three gorgeous children.” I hit two birds
with one stone, right?
A few years into family life, I
spoke with my wife. “Can I still be a lawyer?” And she would just answer, “You will
have your chance. You can follow your dream but first never forget your
responsibilities.” That being the case, I construed her word "chance" as one that was synonymous with the word "wait." I believed, I couldn’t make it now, so I contemplated a 15-year
goal then. After 10 years I said, I will enroll in law school. So, that
happened. 2009, I was in first year. A year after, I quit, but you know, this
ambition won over feelings. I continued after I took a leave for one year and
here I am. Still, the feeling is mutual.
I know my story was boring, because
all of you here have much more exciting stories to tell. I am sorry but I have
the floor so it is me at this moment who have the honor to tell and retell my
life. You may reject it, but honestly all I want to share is the lesson I learned
from my journey to the IBP, and also to warn you that once in my life I became
a magician.
I have learned that there is no
harm in dreaming, and in trying to reach your dream. I know my good friend and coach Attorney Albert Yruma always dreamed of walking straight (he is a folio victim being confined to his wheelchair), so he may
reach far places. He may not be aware of it but he has already walked straight.
Look at him, a straight family man, straight legal professional, and someday a
straight and righteous judge. Moreover, pag lasing na kami, siya na lang talaga ang straight maglakad, lahat kami hindi na maayos yung lakad namin. I know my good friend and
mentor Atty. Jonathan Loberio has dreamed of having a child, we may not be aware
of it but he may already has fathered a child. Oi Sir, ha? (Joke lang) No. Really,
as Dean Marlon always reminds us and I quote, "There is nothing in this world that is impossible. For the word impossible could
only be found in the dictionary." Let us therefore continue to dream but just
make sure to wake up. Sleep with emergency kits then.
In closing, I want to thank
everyone here, my IBP family for welcoming me to your club. I know you have no better
choice. To the Honorable Judges and Prosecutors, please forgive my errors, I am
a new lawyer you know, and you all know that court litigation was never the
focus during law school. To my fellow lawyers, especially if you happen to be
my opponent in court, please, please do not take advantage of my
being a neophyte. I must admit I have so many flaws. I have so many lessons still
to be learned, and I do not know everything yet with respect to the intricacies
of court practice. Please to all of you here, please, be calm, I am a new
lawyer.
Thank you and I love you all."