The 2008 Bar Chairman

Justice Dante Tinga is reportedly the 2008 Bar Chairman. There are some who say that Justice Tinga's reputation is the same as that of Justice Azcuna's (this will probably send jitters to the 2008 bar takers). But there are also some who say that Justice Tinga will probably be more lenient, since the bar is cyclical: if the exam is hard this year, then the exam next year will probably easier, and vice versa. These are all rumors of course. I'll post more information when I get some.

Here is Justice Tinga's profile:

Justice Dante O. Tinga was appointed to the Supreme Court on July 4, 2003. Before his appointment to the High Court, he served as dean of the College of Law at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and a managing partner at the Tinga & Corvera Law Firm. He also served as House Representative of the lone district of Taguig-Pateros for three consecutive terms from 1987 to 1998. As a Congressman, he served as House Majority Whip for Luzon from 1992 until 1998 and Speaker’s Deputy in the Committee on Rules from 1995 to 1998. He also chaired the House Committees on Energy (1992-1998) and on Corporations and Franchises (1987 to 1992). During his three-year term, he also became vice-chairman of the House Committee on Good Government and a ranking member of the House Committees on Natural Resources, Justice, Constitutional Amendments, Appropriations and Ways and Means. He was consistently chosen as an outstanding congressman by various publications and periodicals.

Justice Tinga received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the East College of Law in 1960. He graduated magna cum laude. He passed the 1960 Bar Examinations with an 87.7 % rating. He obtained his Masters of Laws degree from the University of California at Berkeley, U.S.A. in 1970, graduating with High Honors and among the top five percent. He also engaged in private law practice. He was senior attorney at the Araneta, Mendoza & Papa Law Offices from 1961 to 1977 and senior partner at the Santiago, Tinga & Associates from 1978 to 1984 and also a senior partner at the Pimentel Cuenco Fuentes Tinga Law Firm from 1984 to 1986. He was also dean of the University of the East College of Law from 1988 to 1992.

Born on May 11, 1939, Justice Tinga is a recipient of several honors including the Most Distinguished Alumnus in Education in 1991 and the Most Distinguished Alumnus in the Legal Profession in 1988, both conferred by the University of the East. A resident of Taguig, Justice Tinga also served as President of the Kilusang Diwa ng Taguig (KDT). Justice Tinga is a widower (married to the late Ma. Asuncion R. Tinga) with six children.

If you have any information regarding Justice Tinga or the upcoming bar exam, please feel free to comment or to email me. Thanks!

Surefire Formula To Do Well in the Bar Exams

Last year, I was able to obtain a copy of a Powerpoint presentation entitled "Doing Well in the 2007 Bar Examinations" by Dean Cesar L. Villanueva. For the record, I have not known anyone who has religiously followed these tips because of sheer difficulty. But It'll probably work, considering that CLV placed No. 2 in the 1981 Bar. Here are some snippets:

Nature of the Bar Exams:
They are not quizzes, personality tests, beauty pageants, tests of religion, nor tests of the highest and most difficult issues on law.

The Bar exams are eight tests on basic, fundamental rules and principles.

Who are qualified to take practice law?
Those who can demonstrate "working knowledge" on the applicable rules and provisions in the eight chosen fields of law.


What is working knowledge of the law?
Knowledge of statutory provisions, doctrines and principles on general fields of law.

THE BAR EXAMS ARE EXAMS ON BASIC RULES AND PRINCIPLES, NOT ON SPECIALIZED NOR ESOTERIC LEGAL PROVISIONS.


Three main difficulties in the bar exams:

1. Too large a field to cover for each subject
2. Too short a time to prepare
3. Too closely spaced together are the 4 days of examinations

WHAT IS THE SURE FORMULA “TO DO WELL” IN THE BAR EXAMS?

If you accept both intellectually, psychologically and morally that the Bar Exams are an exam on your comprehension of fundamental rules and principles, but that the fields are just too broad and expansive, then the sure and tested formula is simply this:

A) FIVE READINGS FOR EACH BAR EXAMS SUBJECT

B) SHOT-GUN METHOD IN ANSWERING THE BAR EXAMS QUESTIONS.

YOUR ONLY TRUE ENEMY AT THAT POINT IS Simple Bad Luck

Five readings#@&$?!?!

Yes, five readings.

Four readings, for those who are “lazy.”

PROVEN DEVELOPMENT STAGE IN READINGS

FIRST READING - Hazy recall, if any; no comprehension; like wasting too much time for so little benefit.

SECOND READING - Sparks begin to happen, light is becoming better, certain things start to become clear.

THIRD READING – Certain things begin to stick, many things begin to fall in place, and even when you do not want to nor intend to, you begin to comprehend.

FOURTH READING – Against everything you expected or ever thought, ideas and concepts begin to stick life glue in your mind; definitions and enumerations just seem to fall in place.

FIFTH READING – Everything you read has now become almost “absolute” in terms, as though you have photographic memory.

BUT FIVE READINGS !&@%?!!!

Today, I tell you it can be done.

The key is simply quantitative, not qualitative aspect.

Mechanically do five readings for each Law field, and the “formula will work”, whatever is your aim for the Bar Examinations.

DO A SCHEDULE OF READINGS

DIVIDE EACH DAY INTO THREE:

(A) ONE BOOK FROM 7:30 TO 12:00

(B) SECOND BOOK FROM 1:00 TO 6:00

(C) THIRD BOOK FROM 7:00 TO 12:00

FROM MONDAYS TO SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS ONLY TWO READING SESSIONS

10 Tips in Taking the Bar

Right after the bar results came out, I chanced upon a brother who just passed the bar. He was exultant, having known just minutes before that he passed. He said that the list of the top 10 came out much earlier, and he almost cried when the list came out. If the 10th placer only got 80.90%, then the rest of the passers would be bunched from 80.89% - 75.00%. Slim chance that he will pass, he said. Luckily, the passing rate was decreased from 75 to 70. He figured that he was one of those benefitted by the decrease of the passing rate, so he was thankful. After the euphoria died down, he gave this one advice: read the codal provisions. If he had to do it all over again, he said, he would focus on the codals. With the unsolicited advice, I had the idea to ask the bar passers I know regarding their tips to the bar takers. What works? What doesn't? Here are some of the tips:

1. Three bar passers advised me to read the codals. They emphasized this because codals are usually taken for granted. One said to read the codals as your first reading. Annotations in review books will vary, But the codals will not. It is good to have a firm foundation of the codals. You can never go wrong with codals.

2. Have your schedule ready as early as now, even before you start reviewing. You may not be able to follow your schedule to the letter, but at least you have a gauge of where you are standing.

3. Even if you don't plan on studying yet, you should be choosing the books you'll be using. Obtain a copy as soon as possible, so that you can base your schedule on the number of pages of all the books and reviewers that you want to read.

4. Do not read too many books per subject. Stick to 1 or 2. The less books you read repeatedly, the better memory retention you will have. Reading three books per subject is too much. It will confuse you more.

5. Study to pass. Better yet, study to top. See the end goal in sight. The power of positive thinking helps, it will push you forward.

6. Have a break. Allot one day per week. Watch a movie. Surf the web all day. Drink. The important thing is to relax. It will keep you from being too high strung. It will help you keep your sanity.

7. Talk with your friends. Have your own support group. Unburden yourself when things become too stressful.

8. Stay healthy. Have yourself a flu shot. Do some light exercise every day. All your hard work will go for naught if you're gonna get sick on the day of the examination.

9. Adjust your sleeping habits. Try to get used to waking up at 5 or 6 in the morning, and sleeping at 10 or 11 at night. Feeling lethargic/groggy/sleepy on the day of the exam is not a good thing.

10. Pray. It will help you keep your bearings. Go to Manaoag. Go to Baclaran. Do whatever works for you.

One friend, who is ever so humble, had this to say, "huwag mo kong tanungin dyan, pare. Hindi ako authority! 1.25 readings lang ako. Hindi ko nga alam kung pa'no ko pumasa e." Well, I guess humility and a little luck helps too!