BAGUIO CITY – "I wish to become a human rights lawyer to serve people especially persons with disabilities."
ANTHONY Mark Emocling (left), the first visually impaired law graduate to pass the Bar exam, poses with his mentor, former University of Baguio law school dean and Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Pablito Sanidad Sr. (Atty. Pablito Sanidad Sr. photo)
Thus said Anthony Mark Emocling, the first visually impaired law graduate to pass the Bar examination.
Emocling, 33, a native of this city, graduated from the Baguio City National High School-Bakakeng Annex in 2013 and School of Law of the University of Baguio in 2017.
According to Emocling, his disability did not prevent him from achieving his dream of becoming a lawyer with the help of his very supportive parents.
He also persevered until he finally passed the Bar in his fourth attempt.
"Actually this is my fourth time since I started to take Bar exam in 2017, that's why I wasn't lucky then, but I didn't lose hope, instead, I continued every year with the Bar exam, and now I'm lucky and very happy because my dream has come true, not only for myself, but for my families who guide and continue to support me," Emocling said in an online interview.
Emocling is the eldest of two siblings. Their father is a taxi driver and their mother is a vendor of frozen products.
Former UB School of Law dean now Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Pablito Sanidad Sr. was the first to greet Emocling, his student when he was teaching law at UB.
Emocling said he is very grateful to Sanidad who also guided his advocacies despite his disability. "Thank you to Dean Mayor Sanidad, who has been our mentor at the UB School of Law, who has been supportive from the start to us and the knowledge he gave us to learn better to be a lawyer.”
He said that he wants to become a human rights lawyer because of Sanidad, a well-known and respected human rights lawyer.
A total of 20 UB law students passed the 2022 Bar exam, including former radio broadcaster Faiza Mariano, who passed in her third attempt.