62-year-old woman in tears after passing 2023 Bar exams

Takers of the 2023 Bar examinations who were among the 3,812 passers this year could not help but burst into tears at the courtyard of the Supreme Court.

One of them was 62-year-old Rosula Calacala, a first-time taker.

“Anak ko, attorney na ko! Oh my god,” Calacala said while hugging her son. “Hindi ko inaasahan kasi matanda na ko (I wasn’t expecting it because of my age), Lord.”

Firsr time taker and 62-year-old Rosula Calacala bursts into tears after seeing her name on screen @gmanews pic.twitter.com/GEY8KSTH9d

— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) December 5, 2023

In between tears, Calacala explained that she was from North Eastern College in Isabela. She said her passing the Bar should inspire others to take up law.

“I have already finished my— my children have already finished and so I don’t have nothing— I don’t have anything to do. So eto, nag-aral ako para to spare my time (so I studied in my spare time),” Calacala said when asked what inspired her to study.

“First time and I took the Bar, the law school for only four years. Wala akong failing grade (I didn’t have a failing grade). I’m a working student,” she added.

Calacala also advised future takers of the exams against frequent use of cell phones.

“‘Wag sila mag cell phone ng mag cell phone kasi istorbo lang ‘yung cellphone. Honestly. I did not waste my time. Lahat ng oras na spare, lahat ng oras na nakabuka ang aking mata nagbabasa ako,” she said.

(Don’t keep using cellphones, those are only a hindrance. Honestly, I did not waste my time. For every time I could spare, for every hour that my eyes were open, I was studying.)

She said she was offering her win to the Lord.

“Kasi okay na ang mga anak ko, okay na ang mga anak ko kaya sa Panginoon ko na ia-alay ang lahat,” Calacala said.

(Because all my children are now okay, so I am offering this to the Lord.)

Siblings celebrate, in tears after sister passes the bar: Nakita ko yung pagod, yung hirap nung kapatid namin gabi-gabi. Umiiyak siya sa sobrang pressure @gmanews pic.twitter.com/y6x8MUgo4X

— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) December 5, 2023

Click here for the complete list of passers

Meanwhile, Alexis Santiago and her brother waited for the results at the SC courtyard in place of their eldest sister, Mikaila Ma. Santiago Jurial, another first taker from Adamson.

“Nakita ko ‘yung pagod, ‘yung hirap po ng kapatid namin gabi-gabi. Umiiyak po siya sa sobrang pressure,” Santiago said.

Santiago said her sister is currently in Pangasinan with their other relatives.

“Sobrang saya po (we’re very happy),” Santiago said.

Another first-take passer was Don Johnson Dela Chica, whose family was not aware that he had even taken the Bar exams. Chica’s parents are overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Italy.

He was accompanied by his friends to the SC.

“Actually, wish ko talaga makausap sila kasi wala silang idea (I really want to talk to them because they have no idea),” he said.

Dela Chica said it was difficult growing up without his parents by his side.

“OFW po sila, so talagang ano, it’s difficult kasi, you know, I grew up where my parents where, ano, needed to work. Kasi life is difficult,” he said.

(They are OFWs so it was difficult, you know, I grew up where my parents needed to work because life is difficult.)

“People describe being abroad as something glamorous or ano but it was difficult for me and my siblings to always see my parents hard work and kami lang sa bahay all the time. So talagang ano, ang hirap,” he added.

(People describe being abroad as something glamorous but it was difficult for me and my siblings to always see my parents working hard and it’ll only be us at home all the time. So it was really difficult.)

Asked what comes next for him, Dela Chica said he wanted to “be of help.”

“Wala pa akong specific idea. It can be within the academic side or even in a law firm. Wherever I can be of use and inspiration to others. ‘Yun talaga ang aking biggest goal (that’s my biggest goal),” he said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News