By Hanah Tabios Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the chairperson for the 2020 Bar examinations, reminded the country’s new lawyers to always strive for social justice. This as the High Court released Wednesday afternoon the list of passers for the much-anticipated Bar 2019. “Remember that the profession is not all that you are. Be humble. Resist greed. Learn to sacrifice,” Leonen said in a tweet. Justice Leonen has been using the social media platform Twitter to give pieces of advice relevant to the current issues, including the fight against gross inequalities amid the ongoing global health scare. “Every privilege comes with responsibility. Address inequality. Strive for social justice. Serve the people,” he added. But Leonen also reminded those who did not make it this year to consider the occasion as a learning experience and to “not be tempted by hate, anger, or envy.” “Your time will come,” he said. The 2019 Bar has a passing rate of 27.36 percent, according to Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe, also the 2019 Bar chairman. This accounts to a total of 2,103 passers out of the 8,295 takers. The passing rate is higher than the previous year’s 22.07 percent, where 2,103 examinees passed out of the 7,685 takers. In previous years, bar hopefuls would troop to the Supreme Court grounds on Padre Faura Street in Manila to anticipate the results. Some of them would even take long-hour bus rides just to physically witness what seemed to be a highlight of their lives by seeing their names flashed at the LED wall installed at the SC’s front yard. This year, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic, they were told to stay inside their homes to await the results. Provincial law schools Another interesting result for the 2019 Bar is that provincial law schools dominated the Top 10. The previous years would often include some biggest law schools in the metropolis, such as the University of the Philippines (UP) Law School and the Ateneo Law School from the list of highest passers. This year, two Bicolanas from the University of Sto. Tomas-Legazpi City both earned the first and third spot. Topnotcher Mae Diane Azores, a certified public accountant (CPA) currently employed at the Region 5 Commission on Audit, garnered 91.0590 percent, while Myra Baranda, the third placer, has a score of 88.8250 percent. Other provincial law schools who made it to the Top 10 were Palawan State University (fifth), Saint Louis University (eigth), and University of St. La Salle in the Visayas region (10th). 2020 Bar postponed However, due to COVID-19, the Supreme Court also announced that aspiring lawyers will have to wait a little longer to take the next bar exam. Associate Justice Leonen issued Bar Bulletin No. 11.S.2020 on the same day of the announcement of the results. "Upon the recommendation of the 2020 Bar Examinations Chairperson and in view of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country, as well as the social and economic disruption caused by the pandemic and the resulting enhanced community quarantine, the Supreme Court En Banc resolved to postpone the 2020 Bar Examinations. This is to give the Court ample time to determine the necessary adjustments and to make adequate preparations for the safe and orderly conduct of the examinations," the bulletin read. He said the new schedule will be announced in a separate bar bulletin this June. But the High Court gave the assurance that it will be moved “sometime in 2021.” The Supreme Court En Banc also resolved the proposal to regionalize the conduct of Bar examinations, hence, the next will be held in Manila and in Cebu City. READ MORE: UST-Legazpi law graduate lands on top of 2,103 bar passers