Congratulations on Passing the 2023 Bar Exam!
December 22, 2023, was the first time that new lawyers took their oath as members of the bar and signed the Roll of Attorneys on the same day. The inductees were the first batch of lawyers who complied with the Clinical Legal Education Program or CLEP for admission to the bar.
The digitalized and regional bar examinations have been a huge success, and was very efficient. There are four examiners for each core subject and they no longer have to decipher the hieroglyphics-like answers of some examinees.
Recently, the Ateneo Law Student Council congratulated one of their previous officers – Atty. Nicole Zosa (Internal Vice President 2021-2022) – for passing the 2023 Bar Examinations. P
Proud father-in-law Jun Zosa, a dear friend, invited all who were part of a special chat group to a garden party celebration at their ancestral home.
Creative Cuisine Catering Service provided the fare for the festivity with a menu that began with appetizers that included succulent meat cuts, and specials like an on-site cooking of a calf leg. This was paired with some alcoholic beverages – Johnnie Walker Black Label, San Miguel Light, and Pale Pilsen beers.
Cebu Lechon arrived as the party was underway, and I requested that the lechon be immediately unpacked to allow the steam from the cooked meat to dissipate rather than be trapped inside an enclosed space. Doing this will ensure that the lechon’s skin will remain crispy when served.
I remember a Chinese restaurateur telling me that he once had to remove the covers of 200 Cebu Lechons for Lauriat meals held in the Great Han Palace.
Dinner was served and the salad was Veggies with Feta Cheese Watermelon, and Glazed Nuts. The main dishes were Grilled Ilonggo-Style Chicken, Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Mushroom Sauce, Tanigue Provencal, Lasagna, and Plain Rice.
The secret ingredient in Ilonggo-Style chicken is achuete or annatto, which gives the dish a distinct color, flavor, and aroma. Tanigue Provencal is fish served with Provencale sauce (tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings cooked in oil). Both the chicken and the fish were delicious.
As the celebration was ongoing, I wondered about where the celebration of former senator Jose “Pepe” Diokno was held.
He was granted a special dispensation by the Supreme Court in 1944 to take the Philippine Bar Examination without a law degree, and even topped the bar (95.3%) with Jovito Salonga. He is the only Filipino to top both the CPA and Bar Exam with special permission for the CPA Board Exam since he was barely 18 years old.
My ponderings aside, the occasion was a lovely dinner celebration and my congratulations to Atty. Nicole Zosa. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!