2025 Bar topnotcher advises future takers to persevere

Jhenroniel Rhey Timola Sanchez, the topnotcher in the 2025 Bar examinations, on Thursday advised future takers to keep persevering despite the hardships.

“It’s never going to be easy. It’s never going to be pretty. Sometimes, you have to win ugly fights pero kaya ninyo rin ‘yan. I mean, just some nobody din naman na katulad ko ay nakapasa ng Bar, eh kaya ninyo rin ‘yan,” Sanchez told Super Radyo dzBB.

He also said there is truth to remarks made by law professors that bar review starts in the first year of law school.

Sanchez, a graduate of the University of the Philippines, earned the highest score of 92.70% in the 2025 Bar exams.

“Kasi kahit magbago ‘yung law, which can happen of course, may fundamentals ka pa rin on how to read, how to understand kung ano ‘yung binabasa mo, and how to apply it properly,” he added.

Sanchez is also a licensed electrical engineer. He took up Bachelor in Science in Electrical Engineering at UP Los Baños and graduated in 2017. He finished his Juris Doctor degree in 2025 from UP Diliman.

He shared that while studying law, he was also working.

“Mahirap naman din po talaga. I mean ‘you need to balance your studies kasi kung bumigay ka doon sa isa… but what do you call this, kung ginusto mo talaga. Gusto ko talaga kaya ako nakatapos,” he said.

When asked about his plans, Sanchez said that he is keeping his options open.

“In school ang naging primary interest ko is intellectual property law. And when I was working… mostly corporate law. So those are at least two options,” he said.

A total of 5,594 out of 11,420 examinees passed the exams.

The oath taking and signing of the roll of attorneys will be on February 6, 2026 at the Philippine Arena.—AOL, GMA Integrated News