From fisherman to Top 6 bar passer: Joewy Ompad shares his inspiring story

A former fisherman from Bantayan Island, Cebu has earned a place among the country’s top-performing bar passers.

The bar exam results were released on Wednesday, and among them was Atty. Jeowy Loyloy Ompad, who placed sixth overall, posting an average of 91.25 percent. A Cebu native, Ompad is also a certified public accountant and a graduate of the University of San Jose Recoletos.

Jeowy could not help but turn emotional at passing the exam, especially since he had humble beginnings as a fisherman in Bantayan Island.

His father, Jose, is also a fisherman, while his mother, Breza, works as a dried fish vendor or magdadaing.

"'Yung buhay po namin, 'yung makakain lang po kapag makalaot. Ang kita parang isang araw lang, enough lang para makabili ng bigas," Jeowy said on Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.

[“Our life was like that—we could only eat on days when we were able to go out to sea. What we earned lasted just for the day, barely enough to buy rice.”]

Because of this, Jeowy learned the value of hard work early, becoming a fisherman at just six years old. His task was to carry fishing nets and help cast them into the sea.

He and his father would begin fishing at 5 a.m. and finish before 7 a.m. By then, Jeowy would head straight to school, attending classes until the afternoon, often without any allowance.

“Some of my classmates are well-off. Minsan naiinggit ako they have enough time to play. Ako, instead of playing, tinutulungan ko yung parents ko na mangingisda po,” he said.

[“Some of my classmates are well-off. Sometimes I feel envious because they have time to play. As for me, instead of playing, I help my parents with fishing.”]

“Since bata pa lang, inintindi ko na ang situation ng family ko. Kasi ‘yun po ‘yung reality po ng buhay ko,” he added.

[“From a young age, I already understood my family’s situation, because that is the reality of my life.”]

Despite growing up in poverty, Jeowy excelled academically and was grounded in strong values.

His father instilled in him a sense of responsibility.

“Even if tinutulungan ko siya sa pangingisda, still he insisted na I still go to school. Hindi siya excuses na kahit may ibang trabaho na pangingisda, na mag-skip ng class,” Jeowy said.

[“Even though I helped him with fishing, he still insisted that I go to school. Fishing was never an excuse to skip class.”]

His mother, meanwhile, taught him generosity.

“Despite na we have less, ‘yung maka-catch namin, ‘yung mga neighbors namin na walang kuha, shine-share namin ‘yung catch to them para at least they have food on their table.”

[“Despite having very little, whenever we managed to catch something, we shared it with our neighbors who had none, so at least they would have food on their table.”]

Through discipline and perseverance, Jeowy finished elementary school as valedictorian and ranked among the top students in high school.

Determined to continue his education, he moved to Cebu City in search of a scholarship. While doing so, he worked as a department store bagger to help support his family.

His sacrifices eventually paid off. In 2008, Jeowy graduated with a degree in Accountancy.

“After I graduated from college, parang yung tadhana, the stars are aligning. So God provided me the path where I can work,” Jeowy said. “One of the companies na pinasukan ko, ‘yun ‘yung nagpadala sa akin sa Malaysia to work, to immerse there for one year.”

[“After I graduated from college, it felt as if fate was at work—the stars were aligning. God opened a path for me where I could find employment. One of the companies I worked for was the one that sent me to Malaysia, where I spent a year working and immersing myself in the culture.”]

But Jeowy’s aspirations did not end there — he still dreamed of becoming a lawyer.

“Unang naisip ko yung tatay ko, one of our fisherfolks na tulungan ko siya for whatever legal issues na kailangan ko,” he said. “At saka yung mga kapitbahay namin, the people in the community in Bantayan Island, matulungan ko sila for whatever legal challenges they have.”

[“The first person I thought of was my father, one of our local fisherfolk, and how I could help him with any legal issues he might face. I also thought of our neighbors—the people in the community in Bantayan Island—and how I could help them with whatever legal challenges they may have.”]

That dream was put on hold as he started a family. Jeowy met his wife, Jennifer, in 2009 while working at a BPO company in Cebu City. They married in 2013 and now have three children, with a fourth on the way.

With years of hard work, Jeowy was able to build a stable life, owning a car and farmland.

However, Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 changed everything, washing away their family home on Bantayan Island.

He later moved his parents to the mainland, bought them land, and built them a new home. He also extended help to relatives and neighbors, keeping their doors open to fellow fisherfolk.

Looking back, Jeowy described his journey as a “humbling experience.”

“Actually, sobra-sobra pa ang binigay ni God. God listens. God hears. God knows what you wanted, God provides if you pray. If you pray with pure hearts, God listens. So I'm so thankful to God.”

[“Actually, God has given me more than enough. God listens. God hears. God knows what you need, and He provides when you pray. If you pray with a pure heart, God listens. I am truly thankful to Him.”]

In 2020, more than a decade after first dreaming of it, Jeowy finally entered law school.

Balancing work, family, and studies proved difficult. He attended law school at night and studied alone while his family slept.

In 2024, another major challenge arose when he lost his job.

“Na-retrench ako from the company that I work. Iniisip ko hindi lang siguro ko mag-proceed sa law,” he said, turning emotional.

[“I was retrenched from the company I was working for. I thought that maybe I shouldn’t pursue law after all.”]

After speaking with his wife, they decided to push through.

Jennifer took on the role of breadwinner for a year, supported by a work-from-home setup that allowed her to care for their children.

Meanwhile, Jeowy doubled down on his studies.

“’Yung discipline ko as a fisherman, dinala ko siya sa bar review,” he added. ”Fisherman do not just sleep, ang ginagawa ng fisherman inaayos yung mga lambat, inaayos yung mga bangka, be prepared when the storm is out para pag okay na yung alon, lalaot. So that by the time bar examination days will come, prepared na ako.”

[“I brought the discipline I learned as a fisherman into my bar review. Fishermen don’t just sleep—they mend the nets, repair the boats, and get ready for the storms so that when the seas calm, they can go out. I applied the same principle to the bar exam, so that by the time exam days came, I was fully prepared.”]

Finally, in September 2025, Jeowy took the bar exam. And just last Wednesday, it was announced that he had placed sixth nationwide.

"I really did not expect talaga na to be in the top 20 kasi medyo nahirapan ako in the most of the questions sa bar exam for some of the subjects,” Jeowy said.

[“I really did not expect to be in the top 20, because I struggled with most of the questions in some of the bar exam subjects.”]

“I really hugged my wife. Nag-iyakan kami ng misis ko. God has answered my prayer, hindi lang one of the passers but also one of the topnotchers,” he added.

[“I really hugged my wife. We both cried. God had answered my prayer—not only was I among those who passed, but I was also one of the topnotchers.”]

For those who dream of becoming lawyers, Jeowy offered this advice:

“If you really have plans to pursue law school, to become a lawyer and you have the grit you have the determination to pursue it, God will be with you in this journey,” he said. “I really ask God to guide me, to walk with me in the bar examinations and really seek wisdom from Him.”

[“If you truly plan to go to law school, to become a lawyer, and you have the grit and determination to pursue it, God will be with you on this journey. I sincerely asked God to guide me, to walk with me through the bar examinations, and to grant me wisdom.”]