Charles Teves
Maree Bajamunde and Bernard Importante, a couple from Bicol are among the 2,103 who passed the November 2019 Bar Exams. The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) makes it impossible for them to celebrate their achievements, but they are without a doubt on cloud nine.
They were hitting milestones from the moment they became official.
“Parang third milestone namin kasi sabay kami grumaduate sa legal management sa college. Tapos, sabay din kami grumaduate ng law school. Tapos, sabay pa kami nakapasa. Isa talaga siya sa inaantay namin,” Maree shared.
The couple graduated with a degree in BSBA major in Legal Management from Ateneo de Naga University.
“Nalaman ko na lang sa classmates and friends na kasama pala ako sa passers. And, syempre ‘nung naka-connect na ako, hinanap ko yung pangalan ni Maree and pangalan ko,”, said Bernard.
Just like any other couple, both faced challenges but managed to withstand them.
“Kasi pag-down ako, andyan siya mag-e-encourage. Pag-down naman siya, ako naman ang nangungulit. Pero may time na masyado na akong mareklamo, so naistorbo siya sa pag-aaral niya. Pero at least na-address namin mga earlier parts ng review. Nag-usap kami bago mag-start ang review na we will support kada isa, and open communication,” said Maree.
“Kasi nakakaselos din. Law is a very jealous mistress talaga. Talagang mag-aagawan kayo. Nag-a-adjust ka sa law, tapos dala mo pa yung relasyon. So dapat matured enough kayong dalawa,” Maree concluded.
Maree currently works at the Department of Agrarian Reform in Camarines Sur and Bernard at the Naga City Prosecution Office.
However stories like these aren’t new. University of San Carlos (USC) graduates Michael Calzado, 25, of Tacloban City, and Charmaine Lynn Tan, 26, from Pastrana, Leyte did it before them.
Calzado and Tan were both kneeling attending mass when they found out they passed the 2018 Bar exams.
“We were shocked. We can’t believe we passed. It took hours before we realized that,” Calzado said.
Calzado failed his journey to becoming a CPA and just wanted to graduate asap.
“Since then, I stopped dreaming and told myself to just graduate and look for an easy high paying job,” Calzado stressed.
Tan was able to convince Calzado to go with her to law school.
“I knew he could do great things but he was just discouraged for some reason so we took the entrance [exam] together and luckily passed,” Tan said.
They go way back in high school, but only became a couple in 2012 when realization kicked in.
Tan and Calzado weren’t the only couple who passed the 2018 Bar exams, Johanna Malang and Jose Epifaño San Jose from Naga made the news as well.
The couple traveled 8 hours just to see their names on the LED wall at the Supreme Court.
“Happy and nawala yung pressure. Kasi yung pagiintay namin parang naka-pause ang buhay mo,” San Jose said.
“Parang you’re hanging for six months kung san kami pupunta, anong plans for the future. At least ngayon natuldukan na rin,” Malang said.
Malang’s father is a lawyer, but they are not close to each other as she was born out of wedlock.
“My father is a lawyer. He didn’t support me kasi anak ako sa labas. I think hanggang elementary school. High school I went through schools na scholarships lang. Except law school, si Mama na nagpaaral sa akin.
She has forgiven her father for constant neglect.
“Noong una, gusto ko talaga yun. Na pag nagtabi kami, ‘Hi Pa, lawyer na po ako. Even without your help.’ Pero ngayon okay na. Wala na akong sama ng loob,” she said.
“I am already at peace,” she said.
Similarly, couple Lanz Olives and Michelle Vale Cruz also made the headlines after passing the 2017 bar. Both said they’d rather work for different law firms and they were not in a rush to take their relationship to the next level.
“We did not disturb each other during our review periods, and it worked,” she said.
Olives and Cruz are both graduates of De La Salle University Manila.
On Facebook, Cruz posted how “surreal” it is that she is now a full-fledged lawyer.
