Yet another poignant phase of my life…
There’s a heaviness in my heart that I cannot even articulate. I can’t find the words to verbalize what’s going on in my head right now.
My Mom called me up yesterday and told me that Dad isn’t feeling so well. They went to the hospital a while ago…they’ll get the results later…she said she’d call me up to let me know of the results. Ya Allah, please listen to my prayers.
I sent my Dad an SMS and told him to be strong. I told him he has yet to see me as the futute chief justice of the Supreme Court…or the UN ambassador…or a bar topnotcher…just to cheer him up and make him see a glimmer of hope. I felt a bit relieved when he texted back and said he felt better when he read my message.
I owe my whole being to my Dad…everything that I am today is authored by him…even the way I look (a lot of people comment that had I been a boy, I could have been made his junior). I have yet to show him that his project (that’s me) is worth all the efforts he exerted to mold it into what it is today. Ya Allah, please, is it too much to ask for an opportunity to make my dear Dad see that?
The Day Of Reckoning
Just got home from school. I got some of my final grades. I’m happy and satisfied with my grades (though there’s a little part of me that says maybe I could’ve done a little better…but that would make me such an ungrateful creature). I’m OK with my 3 major subjects…and 1 minor subject…statutory construction, that is. I’m not just sure about my two other minor subjects. I have to say I’m a bit worried about them.
Law school is really, really unpredictable. "YOU NEVER KNOW" is the appropriate saying for it. Everyone therein is in danger of falling victim to the whims and caprices of the professors…especially those professors who don’t come to class and employ a "wild guessing game" system in computing the final grades. So the best thing that everyone can do is to WORK HARD and do his/her part, PRAY and BE HUMBLE ALWAYS.
I think I did quite well the past semester. I won’t say I did so great. But I’m going to outdo myself this second sem. I’m gonna try to do better than I did. Yeah…I should do better. I can’t disappoint…people who’re counting on me…my parents, friends and my professors. I’ll try to put into my head what Atty. Gorospe has always been telling me…and when he berated me for not having read a cetain case. "What will Justice Dimaampao say?" he told me. Huhuhu. Justice Dimaampao told me to "keep up the good work…your professors believe so much in you…" And Atty. Calilung (who claims to be my long lost relative…because aside from the fact that we have almost the same surnames, we both look good. I didn’t say that; it came from him. Hehehe) told me "You are the hope of UST…" I don’t know if he really meant what he said….I don’t know if he’s only making fun of me or something…nevertheless, what he said sort of tells me that I should strive harder…everyday…because there are so many people out there counting on me. And yes, I’m NOT GOING TO DISAPPOINT THEM! I’LL GIVE IT MY BEST AND DO ALL I CAN TO EXCEED THEIR EXPECTATIONS EVEN! Uhhh…wait a minute…that’s too much. Well, I’ll at least try to live up to their expectations…and meet up the standards I have always set for myself…to never settle for mediocrity.
This second sem signals the commencement of a new battle that I should face…and claim victory in the end! OK, I’m getting too emo here. I better sign off before the world drowns in my tears. 
Politik
I have found some food for my famished brain. I just downloaded the newly decided case of Lambino et al. vs. COMELEC, the decision of the Supreme Court on the issue of employing people’s initiative as the means to amend (some say revise) the Constitution. I haven’t read the whole decision yet but I have some thoughts about it.
First of all, those who oppose the proposed amendment on the Constitution shouldn’t celebrate yet–victory is not in their hands yet. And those who are for it, they shouldn’t lose hope. There is a gargantuan possibility that the Court will reverse itself upon motion for reconsideration. The Court always does that. In the words of my professor, "The Court changes its mind very often like a woman. Worse, it at times acts like a Goddess!" (Only 1-C peeps would get what he meant by the last sentence). In the case of La Bugal B’laan Tribal Association vs. Ramos et al., the Court en banc promulgated its Decision granting the Petition and declaring the unconstitutionality of certain provisions of RA 7942, DENR Administrative Order 96-40, as well as of the entire FTAA (financial or technical assistance agreement) executed between the government and Western Mining Corporation Philippines, mainly on the finding that FTAAs are service contracts prohibited by the 1987 Constitution. However, before the year ended, the Court–the woman that it is–reversed itself and said that the Constitution, by employing basic principles of statutory construction, does not prohibit service contracts!
The above-mentioned case will most likely repeat itself in the case of Lambino vs. COMELEC. The circumstances surrounding the case somehow put some certainty on the possibility of the reversal of the first decision.
First, the voting of the justices almost resulted into a deadlock–a close vote of 8-7. It was Chief Justice Panganiban’s vote that broke the tie. Since the justices voted in such manner, there is a rather strong reason or ground for petitioners to have the decision reconsidered. (It is worthwhile to note that in the case of Santiago vs. COMELEC, which also tackled the constitutionality of people’s initiative as a method of amending/revising the Constitution, Chief Justice Panganiban voted against the unconstitutionality of the same. To explain his position this time, he said that what he questioned in the Lambino case is not the constitutionality of people’s initiative per se but the way the votes of the people were gathered–whether or not they were obtained through fraud.)
Second, Chief Justice Panganiban will be retiring this December. If the justice who will be appointed in his place is pro-people’s initiative, it cannot be gainsaid that there is a big possibility that the Court will take a complete turnabout. There is also the possibility of the President appointing someone who is pro-people’s initiative to fill the vacancy when the CJ retires so her stance on charter change will gain more support from the highest court of the land.
(TRIVIA: Did you know that Justice Ynares-Santiago cried while they were deliberating on the case? The reason? Well, she took a very different stance on the issue–voting for the dismissal of the case–from her very close friend, Justice Puno, who, on the other hand, dissented from the majority opinion. She apologized later to her dear friend, which the latter accepted. Oh, isn’t that sweet?)
MY SEPARATE OPINION
Personally, I don’t think the people’s initiative is the proper medium in which to change certain provisions of the Constitution. This is because the questions/proposed amendments are directly given to the people for them to vote on the same. There seems to be nothing wrong with it–in fact, it’s even laudable for it’s a strong reflection of democracy. However, the question is: DO the people understand the questions/proposed amendments posed before them? Put more properly, do they understand the consequences/effects of their votes? That’s the question that should concern everyone.
I don’t mean to degrade the capability of the Filipino voters in any way. But we have to face the reality that a considerable portion of our population is uneducated and under the poverty line. With that given, there is a possibility that their votes would be influenced by "things that glitter" offered by those who’re vehemently pushing for changes in the Constitution, who are in turn consumed by their own selfish interests–they’re so consumed by it that they would use the people to realize the same. Call me cynical but that’s how it goes around here in this country. There is no room for benefit of the doubt.
I mean, come on…I think that when the people ratified the 1987 Constitution they didn’t fully comprehend what the provisions really mean, thanks to the flowery verbosity employed by those who drafted it. Even I myself don’t get some of its provisions.
**Oh well, let us all hope that the Court, if ever it would take cognizance of the motion for reconsideration yet to be filed, will decide the case with the public interest of the people at large in mind. But this is almost as far-fetched as wishing to get married to Brad Pitt (or Keanu Reeves, who allegedly prefers his kind). The Court constantly declares itself to be "independent and non-political". But there are many instances in the history of its existence that manifest the fact that its decisions, especially those that touch on political matters, have been tinged by yes, politics.
An Interview With a Monster
When I was small, my Mother used to scare me with monsters just to get my bottom to bed and sleep. The very moment that she would say " The moster will come out of the closet if you don’t go to sleep", I’d run and jump to bed. I would curl myself, my eyes closed until I’d finally fall to sleep. Apparently, I would react that way because I believed that monsters really exist…but not until my mental faculty was fully developed, when I realized that they were all my Mom’s scare tactics just to make me do what she wanted me to do then. (Side comment: I think all mothers do that.)
HOWEVER, my disbelief in the existence of monsters was turbulently shaken yesterday. In a complete turnabout, I now reverse myself. I realize that my Mom has been telling me the truth all along. MONSTERS DO EXIST.
I know you’re going to find this ridiculous, absurd and dismiss it as a mere product of my imagination. But if you encounter this girl just once in your lifetime, you’d have the same realization–that monsters lurk around us, without really knowing because they’re disguised as human beings.
The organization I’m currently affiliated with conducted an interview for new applicants. Everything was going well; I was having fun asking and grilling the applicants with questions that would just pop into my head. There was even this one guy applicant whom I asked "Why is your shirt button open? You think that makes you sexy?" The panel laughed. He was caught off-guard and buttoned his shirt. I didn’t mean to be a mean girl or anything, I just wanted to make the applicants feel at ease and relaxed (throwing such question may have probably achieved the exact opposite of my purpose…hehehe) Like what I said, everything was going well UNTIL…the monster entered.
The moment she opened her mouth, I already sensed that there was some "evil" element trapped inside of her. She was so aggressive, domineering…well, that’s OK. But then she started answering questions so sarcastically. She was so "bastos" and disrespectful to the senior staff. I was thinking, "Hey b****, what’s your problem? You’re applying in this organization and why are you acting like you’re so mad with the whole world? Did you get raped by the janitor on your way here or something?"
I don’t want to elaborate on the details lest this post may become libelous. I was texting Pretty Afterglow (my beautiful, beautiful friend…she’s beautiful inside and out…really admire that girl ;D) about it and told her, "Oh my God, Pretty I know I sound so mean in describing that monster. But if you’d meet her yourself, you’d start doing the sign of the cross coz you’d be convinced that you’re actually talking to Satan himself…just disguised as a very ugly-looking girl."
I guess my encounter with monsters is just beginning. I have to learn how to deal with them…I’m sure I’ll be encountering more monsters like her. I just pray that I don’t become one of them. May God have mercy on them!
**
I vehemently believe that a person’s success in this life is largely dependent on how he deals with the people around him. One may have all the intelligence, ingenuity and all…he may be the world’s greatest smartass but if he doesn’t know how to blend with people, everything that he has would be reduced to naught. It cannot be gainsaid that in this world, we have to establish a harmonious co-existence with the people around us to survive. As the cliche goes "No man is an island". It’s the people around us who facilitate our success in this world; they play an important role in achieving such. This doesn’t necessarily negate the idea of independence. What I’m trying to drive at is people are interdependent–they need one another to survive. I mean, come on, the SUPER POWER of the world needs THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES to maintain such status! At the end of the day, it’s HUMAN RELATIONS that counts the most.
***
HUMILITY. It’s one of the most important values to me. It’s the value that I always try to ingrain in myself…because in this life, it is those who humble themselves before God that He uplifts…and those who do not know how to bow their heads, those who arrogate upon themselves humongous pride are the ones He drops to the pits to make them learn how to exude a little bit of humilty. He has mentioned in the Qur’an that He doesn’t look at those who are so full of themselves…I think there’s even a Hadith saying the same thing. (Though I may have read such in the Qur’an, I think it’s universal in all religions in the world.)
Our professor, Atty. Maria Liza Lopez-Rosario, has always told us that there are three things that will make us survive law school: STUDYING HARD. HUMILITY. PRAYERS.
I think what she said doesn’t only find application in law school…I think in all aspects of our lives, we have to be humble…always.
What I’ve done for the sem-break: I’ve been couch-potato-ing, I sang for Atty. Drill, I’ve been preparing for the bar exams and I bit an Israeli officer at a checkpoint…and got a warning from the Heavens :D
*It’s 2:20 AM. I love the sound of silence surrounding me. I have a meeting to attend later at 11–Law Review stuff. I’m actually looking forward to that coz it’s been pretty boring these past few days. But at the same time I’m grateful for the break I’m having coz I’m getting to do what I had been deprived of since school started: SLEEPING FOR 12 HOURS OR MORE!!! Wahahaha!
It’s Eid today…the end of Ramadan. I have to say this is one of the most "not-so-enjoyable" Ramadan I’ve ever had in my entire life. I don’t know…I just didn’t feel the spirit. I mean there are so many things going on right now…I just missed that feeling I’d get whenever the holy month of fasting would come. Excitement. The sense of belonging that you feel…that you belong to a huge community of Muslims…the unity that you see among Muslims during the period of fasting. *SIGH* which is why I really miss Saudi. It’s really, really different spending Ramadan there. Oh well.
**I’ve had so many weird dreams these past few days. Just this morning, I dreamt that Atty. Drill made me sing in his class. It’s so bizarre–he made me sing "Power of Love"! Hahaha! DUH. Hmmm…is that a premonition that he’ll be our prof again this sem? Oh, P-L-E-A-S-E!!! Spare us, God!
***The authorities have officially declared that the country had been taken over by Israeli forces. Upon hearing the announcement, silence had also taken over the room we were in. We were all lost for words. We didn’t know what to say. We only looked at one another. But we needed not express verbally what we felt for our very eyes, our faces were screaming one and the same emotion: FEAR.
My father told us to start packing. My Mom, while she picked the important things to carry with us, was chanting prayers like she’d always do whenever the family would be facing a problem. I could see that she wanted to cry. But I knew that she had to be strong for all of us.
We stuffed our things in the car and started moving. My father told us that our mission was to get out of the country as soos as possible and go back to the Philippines. And we had hide our identity–that we ARE Muslims.
As we drove, we came at a terrifying checkpoint. It’s what we dreaded all along. "Act normal," my father instructed us. The officer bent down to talk to my father. "Open the doors and the trunk please," the officer said. My father gave a forced smile and followed. The officer went to check the trunk. He saw my box of cases. "May I see her permit to take the bar exams?" he inquired of my father. "Oh, no she’s taking the bar exams in the Philippines," my dad replied nervously. "Oh, so you’re from the Philippines? OK, you may go." We all took a deep sigh of relief as the officer hit the back of the car, telling us to go…
And then came another checkpoint. My dad directed us to act normal again. "May I see your passport, Sir?" the officer asked of my dad. Upon hearing that, I felt like being strangled. I knew that if we’d show him our passport, he’d see that we’re Muslims. "We are Filipinos," I retorted quickly. "There’s no need for you to see our passport. Can’t you see in our faces? Don’t you know the rule of evidence RES IPSA LOQUITOR?" "I said let me see your passports," he reiterated angrily. I saw my dad froze. He didn’t know what to do either. The officer got impatient and so he reached for my bag where our passports were in. I screamed, grabbed his arms and bit him! I even hit his head so hard! My dad stepped on the gas and we escaped!
We were at a vast ground of desert. "Our plan now is to build a camouflage…made of big tree branches with thick leaves. We’re going to cover ourselves in it and cross the Rub Al Khali desert until we reach Morocco. From there, we can go safely back to the Philippines," my dad told us. And so we started piling up tree branches in which to cover ourselves so we could cross the desert undetected. BUT…unfortunately, our plan was foiled. The Israeli forces learned about it.
They brought us to this empty room where they detain those who attempt to escape. An old, balding man wearing glasses entered the room. He was one of the senior Israeli officers. He went directly to my dad and started kicking and beating him up. My mom was crying and screaming. I couldn’t stand seeing my dad being treated like that. The fighter that I am, I took my book rest (I don’t know why the hell it was with me in the first place) and started hitting the old guy with it on his head until he bled profusely. The other officers took me away and put me in a cell…
Later, I learned that they allowed my family to go back to the Philippines…with me to be left behind…
I was with my mom in this cold, dingy, empty room. She was packing. She was sniffing, tears trickling down her face. I was crying too. Really hard. And it turned out that I was not only crying for the fact that I was going to be left behind. I was crying because I knew what would happen next…this had already happened before…
I remembered that the first time it happened, it took 40 years before I could see my family again. I remembered when I saw my mom after such time…she was so thinly…old…bent…I remembered that it took that long before I could go back to the Philippines because I failed to have a certain letter signed by the authorities.
"Mommy, why does this have to happen again?" I wailed like a child. My mom was silent for a long moment. And she finally spoke. "Allah allowed this to happen for the second time because He wants you to CHANGE THINGS…to CORRECT THINGS so that it won’t take another 40 years before we’ll get to see each other again…"
THANK GOD IT WAS ONLY A DREAM…A NIGHTMARE, actually.
It’s so weird coz everything felt so real. When I woke up, I even found my pillow wet (no, not from salivating, hahaha!). I was actually crying while I was having that dream. 
I believe in the message that dreams try to tell us. I believe too that God communicates with us daily, indirectly and that one of His media is dreams. And immediately after I woke up, I wrote the dream down so I wouldn’t forget. The last part–my Mom’s last message to me in that dream is the most important thing I have to remember…
I think that the message the dream was trying to tell me is that…there are certain events in my life that will take place again, sometime in the future…but this time, I have to correct them…do things differently so I wouldn’t be committing the same mistakes again…or it could be that…there are other situations which other people faced that would happen to me…and the dream was trying to tell me not to deal with those situations the way they did so I wouldn’t be commiting the same mistakes that they committed. It’s a WARNING…and I think I shouldn’t take it lightly…I really do believe in the power of dreams (call me crazy or what).
I am continuously praying for His guidance. It is my everyday prayer that He guide me to the right path…both in this life and in the Hereafter…
The Holy Hypocrites
*They’re ubiquitous
Holy Hypocrites
Here and there
They’re indeed everywhere
**They lurk behind me
To count the sins I commit
But they don’t see
Their faces painted with soil
More marred than mine
For the very sin they cimmit
Being Holy Hypocrites
Is as sinister as to kill
Your own Mother
***Holy Hypocrite
You impeach me of adultery
But have you not caused the world
To split into half
When you mortgaged your soul
To an old man
For defloration
At the expense of everyone’s sanity?
****Holy Hypocrite
You accuse me of the same felony
But have not been committing
The same crime you accuse me
For ten long years?
Have you not betrayed
The beings who deserve your allegiance
When you relayed
Their darkest secret to the other side?
*****Oh, Holy Hypocrite
You scrutinize my every move
That I am a woman of loose morals
But is it not that you profess your new faith
Wearing the sign of cross
On your multiple-pierced ears?
******Oh Holy Hypocrites
We are all sinners
But you are the royalties
Of all transgressors
For you speak ill of others
Like you have every license to do so
When in reality
You have heeded Satan’s call
More times than I did
My Papa, my Mama…
I don’t mean to brag but people always tell me that they admire the strength I have. They admire the way I handle difficult situations and perceive them–that no matter how hellish they may be, I always see the positive side of them. They say that I always breeze through without a scratch, resurface unscathed. But this is what they don’t know: all those are not imputable to me. My parents are the culprits behind all that I am today.
I am a very independent-minded person. I don’t usually rely on others to accomplish things. This is not to say that I can do everything on my own. That’s just insane. What I mean is that if I know I can do it, I do it on my own. I work hard for it…it’s more fulfilling when you achieve things through industry. And the culprit behind this attitude? My Daddy.
I remember when I was in grade school…I would find some of my assignments really difficult. I would complain to my Mom and she’d tell me to wait for Dad when he’d come home. When he’d arrive, I’d go to him to ask for help. He’d read the assignment, explain it to me then say, "OK, you go and answer them yourself. Come back when you’re done so I can check it." I would leave upset coz what I’d always expect from him is to answer everything himself. And so I would labor at answering it, go back and he’d say, "See? You did it yourself!" From then on, I would try to understand my homework and answer it on my own and show it to him for correction…that continued until it came to a point that I needed very little intervention from him.
I am very thankful to him because had he not molded me into being independent, I don’t think I would find it quite easy in law school…coz law school is primarily, if not purely, self-study. And it has not just affected the academic aspect of my life. I espouse the same mindset with almost everything that I do in my life.
He’s also taught me how to handle problems. When I was small, I’d always hear him say, "You can turn hell into heaven if you’d want to." As a grown-up, I’ve always adopted that philosophy in every aspect of my life. When things get hard, I always try to "turn it into heaven" by finding the positive sides of it. Everything, no matter how ugly it may be, happens not just for a reason but for a GOOD reason. I don’t just look at things the way they appear to me. As the cliche goes, everything has some hidden beauty in them; you just have to find it. And it’s because of such perspective in life that I’m able to breeze through problems still beautiful and finesse! Just kidding. Seriously, life is a mind-game. The situation you’re in, even if it’s prima facie shitty, will only be so if you see it that way. Just like what my dear Papa has been saying "You can turn hell into heaven if you’d want to."
People also notice that even if I’m submerged in a large tank of problems, I always manage to resurface still intact, still strong. The culprit behind such strength? My Mama.
Without any tinge of bias, my Mom is the strongest (and the most BEAUTIFUL) woman I’ve ever met on this planet. She’s gone through so much, so many problems which were unimaginably difficult…but she’s able to breeze through without falling apart. Seeing her go through all those without breaking down (and still beautiful, glitzy and dazzling) as a kid, I think I was able to absorb that kind of beautiful strength she exuded. Truly, she’s the reason why I can face anything that comes my way without being so much affected.
My Mom and Dad…they’re the reason why I am what I am today…and will be in the future. I am so thankful to Allah the Almighty for giving me such gift. I am grateful that my parents molded me into the person that I am…they’ve always supported me in everything I do…they’ve always kept my feet on the ground…they’ve always shown me my worth…they’ve always pushed me to exceed my limits…they’ve taught me so much about life, so many valuable lessons that I would gladly hand down to our posterity…
And so it is with them that I run for refuge whenever it gets stormy outside. Just hearing the voice of my Dad or Mom can turn the darkest sky into the sunniest, cloudless sky ever!
I may not always be telling you this, Mom and Dad, but THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. And I love you both very much. *tears, sniff, sniff* Hehehe. 
The end is the beginning…
The end has come. And so has the new beginning–the beginning of yet another battle to fight. It’s another fight that I have to face with more courage, ferocity…finesse and glamour too! It’s another chapter in my life that awaits to be written. It’s one of the many battles I have to face in which I have to emerge the VICTOR and NEVER THE VANQUISHED.
My first sememster in law school is one of the defining moments in my life. I’ve learned a lot–I’m not just speaking of the laws, legal jargon and whatnot that have now seeped into my brain. More importantly, I learned so much about life–the value of time, patience, perseverance, friendship, hardwork, humility and my dear Papa and Mama. And oh, how can I forget? I learned the value of DISSENTING OPINION, PRECEDENT and FOREIGN JURISPRUDENCE too! Dissenting opinion is so valuable that it DRILLS…oops…DULLS the edge of the majority opinion! (What am I talking about? Well, you’ll only understand if you’re from section 1-C).
I can safely say that 50 years from now, I can always look back at all the things that transpired this semester and smile whole heartedly. I will never be saying anything that starts with "I should have…", that’s for sure. I gave a good fight and I am more than glad…grateful about the outcome. But that will never make me complacent. Complacency can be one’s worst enemy. I will always be competing with no one but myself. I will always outdo and surpass the ME in the past.
I ENJOYED (and still will) law school. Contrary to what others have been saying about it, I found it so much FUN! People who hear me gush about how FUN it can be think that I’m never in my lucid interval. I really don’t know but I AM TRULY HAPPY in law school. I enjoy every bit of it. I found where I am supposed to be at this point in my life.
However, I’m not saying that it was all easy. It is HARD, DIFFICULT and ARDUOUS. It wasn’t easy (and it will never be), especially during the first few few days of school. But I guess if you really love what you’re doing, no matter how shitty things get, you’d still relish every bit of it. It’s more or less analogous to blind love. I am in love with law school and I always will be.
Yes, this sememster was a lot more difficult than I thought. It’s not just the constant stress and pressure that made it so. There were outside "factors" (such as ugly elements lurking around…) that upgraded the difficulty level, so to speak. But no matter how hard it gets, no matter who ATTEMPTS TO PULL ME DOWN, I WILL ALWAYS LOOK STRAIGHT UP UNTIL I REACH THE ZENITH OF IT, WITHOUT EVEN THE SLIGHTEST REGARD TO THE DISTRACTIONS THAT STAND ALONGSIDE THE WAY.
I will never surrender…I won’t face the battles that will come WITHOUT A WAR!
I’ll Catch the Sun
i’ll catch the sun
i’ll catch the sun
and i’ll never give it back again
i’ll catch the sun
and i’ll keep it for my own
and in a world
where no one understands
i’ll take my outstretched hands
and i’ll offer it to anyone
who comes along
and tells me he’s in need of love
in need of hope
or maybe just a friend
perhaps in time i’ll even share my sun
with that new anyone
to whom i gave my hand
The first inquiry I’d get from people when they learn that I’m at UST civil law is the question that philosophers try to answer: WHY?
Family, friends and foes alike have asked me the same question. My professors asked me the same. "Why UST law?"
Honestly, I don’t know. As far as I can remember when I was in first year college, I saw on news Arlene Maneha (I’m not sure as to the spelling of her name, my apologies) gushing, almost screaming–she was the bar topnotcher for the year 2002. And she’s from UST. It was at that moment that I decided I would attend UST law school. Clearly, my decision wasn’t based on anything concrete. I just wanted to be at UST law.
When people started bombarding me with the same question, I joined these people in asking myself: Why UST law, really?
I don’t mean to malign or degrade the school in any way but it’s not really known for producing topnotchers. The school is not really known for its college of civil law…but why did I choose to be there, despite the fact that I passed in another school that’s famous for being a manufacturer of bar topnothchers?
Well, of course there are certain reasons that impelled me to enroll in the school. First, my friends from FEU (who’ve become my daughters–Pau, Baby Lou, Baby Lynette, Cris and Amylita) are with me…and…I like the uniform. It makes me look human. Hehehe. That’s all that I could come up with. And so I commenced a journey with the mission of finding the deep-root reason why I’m in UST law in the first place.
**
Last Thursday we had our last meeting in political law under Atty. Gorospe. He merged all the sections he’s handling. He brought with him two former students of his who took the bar exams last September. He said that we might be inspired by them…to strive harder and finish the journey with flying colors (as trite as that may sound) just like them. I have to say that seeing those two guys made me tell myself, "Work your ass off! One of these days you’ll be where they are!"
But what really gave me a "feel-good" feeling was (and it still does) Atty. Gorospe’s last words for the class. There were so many inspiring thoughts that he shared with us that I regret not having recorded it on my phone…however, I think the best repository of good thoughts like those is one’s memory…and heart. And so I’ll try to keep them forever engraved therein.
These are some of the thoughts that he shared with us (though not in his excat words):
"Law is like being in love with one person. When that person is gone, that’s when you realize the value of that person, that’s when you realize what you used to have. In the same vein, when you’re in law school you should always make use of your opportunities. You should value those opportunites that come your way by reading as much (cases) as you can because you’ll never be given another chance to read them for decisions (rendered by the Supreme Court) come out every week."
"It is at this point that you start building your foundation. The review classes you’ll get in your 4th year is not enough. So make sure that the foundation you build is strong enough to make you pass the bar exams."
"Your being in law school will be more fulfilling if you also do it for others and not just for yourself."
"Earlier this year, I had to say goodbye to my Dad. There were some regrets that I have…I could have done things that would have made him proud. So maybe you can learn from that…do things that will make you and your loved ones proud."
"It’s not with the school. It’s with the student. It’s the students who determine who they will become tomorrow." <Referring to the student’s performance>
"A little learning is a dangerous thing. (Taken from one of the poems of Alexander Pope) This is my way of honoring my maternal grandmother who never finished college. My grandfather would tease her and say ‘A little learning is a dangerous thing’. She may never have finished college but she taught me things that one will never learn in school–the values of intergrity, honor and decency."
He even explained to us why he liked his students to sing. He said he finds so much inspiration in songs. He related to us how it all started. He was at a party when he was in his first year in law school. It was after their final exams for the first sememster. A song was playing and one of his classmates told him, "Listen to the song." The song was called "I’ll Catch The Sun". He said, "That was the song that was playing in my head when I took the bar exams." And yes, he placed second in the 1979 bar exams.
What’s more inspiring about him is his sense of humility (unlike some new lawyers out there who think they have all the license in the world to be such arrogant a**holes!) He doesn’t talk about his achievements…he deals with his students as if he’s one of them.
Actually when our classes with him was just starting, I already designated him as my favorite professor. (No sucking up!) A lot of students don’t like him and find him irritating because he doesn’t lecture. He gives his students tons (literally) of cases to read. He comes to class, sits down and calls one students to recite. He would just keep on asking questions..questions and more questions. Well at least to me I find that effective and challenging. It’s somehow molding me to be independent-minded and learn the subject on my own.
There was one time that he berated me because I was called to recite and I wasn’t able to read certain cases. He scolded me afterwards and said, "Be more serious with your studies. Stop acting like an ordinary student." I WILL, Sir. =)
***
Another professor of mine that I really admire is Atty. Maria Liza Lopez-Rosario. She was also a student of Sir Gorospe.
At first I didn’t like her. She looked like the typical teacher. Square hair with bangs. Glasses. Boring, I thought. But it’s one of those instances in which first impressions don’t last.
As time went on I began to like her. She’s so concerned about her students’ learning. She’s really a hands-on professor. She’s really someone that the students can rely on.
Like Atty. Gorospe, she too is very humble. I really admire her for being such despite the fact that she graduated with honors during her time…and she earned her doctoral degree in civil law in Spain. Her story about when she went there to study was really inspiring. She related to us that she didn’t know how to speak Spanish but with her hard work, patience and perseverance she was able to write her dissertation in Spanish and defend it using the same language. Wow. Really inspiring indeed.
****
After meeting these professors, I realized that the deep-rooted reason I’m looking for has just started to unfold. Truly, they form part of the reason why I’m at UST law…I might have never met them if I had gone elsewhere.
Perhaps, it’s safe to say that I am destined to be where I am today…because I’m destined to meet such humble souls to inspire me…in my quest to catch the sun…
