Topnotcher in Bar Exams 2023 to Receive Almost 2 Million Pesos
EPHRAIM PORCIUNCULA BIE – The top passer in the 2023 Bar examinations from the University of Santo Tomas, will receive a substantial amount of money.
A total of 3,812 individuals out of the 10,387 who completed all three days of testing successfully passed the 2023 Bar Examinations, resulting in a passing rate of 36.77% according to Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, who serves as the Chairperson of the 2023 Supreme Court Committee on Bar Examinations,
The 2023 Bar Examinations, the 121st professional licensure tests for Philippine lawyers, took place on September 17, 20, and 24, 2023, at 14 local testing centers situated across the National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Ephraim Porciuncula Bie, a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, claimed the top position in this year’s Bar Examinations, achieving the highest overall rating of 89.2625%. Following closely was Mark Josel Padual Vivit from Ateneo de Manila University, securing a score of 89.1250%, while the third spot was attained by Frances Camille Altonaga Francisco from San Beda University with a score of 88.9125%.
The topnotcher in the 2023 Bar exams will receive P1.250 million from the DivinaLaw Foundation, P500,000 from an alumnus of his school, and P200,000 from the University’s Alumni Foundation or almost 2 million pesos.
Bie is the first Bar topnotcher from UST in over a decade. Aside from Bie, Pio Buencamino, another Thomasian who made it to the top 10 of the Bar exams this year, will receive P500,000 from the DivinaLaw Foundation, P100,000 from the same alumnus, and an additional P100,000 from the University’s Alumni Foundation.
Meanwhile, the bar exam is a standardized test that individuals must pass to become licensed to practice law in a specific jurisdiction. It is a comprehensive examination that evaluates a candidate’s knowledge of the law and their ability to apply legal principles in practical situations. The bar exam is a crucial step in the process of becoming a licensed attorney.
