New lawyers from diverse backgrounds bring fresh talent, resilience, and dedication to courts, government offices, and public service.
When the Supreme Court released the 2025 Bar results on January 7, 5,594 of 11,425 examinees had passed—a 48.96% passing rate, up nearly 11 points from last year. This new batch of lawyers is poised to strengthen the country’s overstretched courts, prosecutors’ offices, and public defense system.
What mattered more, though, was what that number quietly set in motion.
In a justice system marked by clogged dockets, understaffed prosecutors’ offices, and overworked public defenders, the higher passing rate means a larger group of new lawyers is about to flow into courts, government agencies, and legal aid desks that have long been running thin. The new batch will take their oath on February 6, 2026, formally entering a profession that needs manpower as much as it needs talent.
The exams were held on September 7, 10, and 14 across testing centers nationwide, drawing examinees from every region of the country. This year’s results expanded the list of passers as much as they widened the pipeline feeding the country’s justice system.
The top notcher is from UP
University of the Philippines graduate Jhenroniel Rhey Timola Sanchez topped the 2025 Bar with an average rating of 92.70%. He was followed by Spinel Albert Allauigan Declaro and Alaiza Agatep Adviento of the University of Santo Tomas Manila, Angelica De Castro Mitra of De La Salle Lipa, and Marc Angelo Galvez Santos of UST Manila.
The rest of the top 20 came from a mix of public and private institutions, including Ateneo de Manila University, University of the East, Bukidnon State University, Arellano University, and University of La Salette Inc. Seventh placer Johan Raphael Gata of UST Manila earned a 90.90% rating and was among those recognized by Supreme Court justices during the release of results.
These names will soon be on résumés landing on desks at firms, agencies, and courts, at a time when hiring managers are bracing for heavier caseloads rather than lighter ones.
Schools shaping the pipeline
Ateneo de Manila University posted the highest passing rate among schools with more than 100 examinees at 96.52%, followed by the University of the Philippines at 94.63 percent and the University of Santo Tomas Manila at 87.16 percent.
In smaller brackets, Ateneo de Davao University, West Visayas State University, and North Eastern Mindanao State University recorded perfect passing rates.
For law schools, these figures matter because they influence who will be staffing courtrooms, legal aid desks, and government offices in the coming years. For employers, they signal where a growing share of the country’s new legal talent is coming from.
A batch leaning toward public service
The personal stories underlying this year’s results reveal the direction many of these new lawyers are heading.
Actor Nico Antonio passed the bar after years of balancing work in film and television with law school. His latest screen role in the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Unmarry, where he played a lawyer, has now taken on real-life meaning as he officially joins the profession.
Another new lawyer, Teody Caballes Dichosa, marked his passing with a post reflecting on years of doubt, exhaustion, and financial and emotional strain, crediting his family, mentors, and faith for carrying him through the process. His message showed how the Bar remains a personal milestone shaped by community support as much as individual effort.
Cyrille Shaine Cupino, a Supreme Court employee working as a court decongestion officer, passed while already inside the system. Her path points to courts strengthening their ranks from within.
Alrexan Bad-e Malatag of the Philippine Law School passed on her fourth try and said she plans to work in government.
Marcelo Siblag IV, who dedicated his passing to his parents, said he hopes to take on government corruption.
PSSg. Ralph Cortes balanced police work and law school at the University of Caloocan City and said he pursued law to better serve the public through his profession.
Ronald Vincent Gonzales, a former delivery rider from the University of the East, surmounted challenges to secure the 20th rank in the 2025 Bar Examinations. Gonzales said he plans to join the Public Attorney’s Office, determined to fight for clients with limited means, which proves that perseverance and purpose can carry anyone from the streets to the courtroom.
Former model and actor Luke Jickain also passed the 2025 Bar, turning a career once centered on cameras and scripts into a real-life legal milestone. His journey mirrors the character Joshua Zuñiga from the film Bar Boys, which was inspired by his law school experience.
Unfortunately, not all stories ended with success. Retired court employee Natividad Rosal, 74, the oldest examinee from Baguio City, did not make the list but said she took the bar for personal fulfillment and to help those in need, reflecting how law remains a civic calling for many Filipinos.
The culture around the Bar
Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier, chairperson of the 2025 Bar, offered words of encouragement: “There is nothing shameful about failure. I will never stop being your Bar mom, despite the results.”
Her remarks resonated with both passers and those who fell short, underscoring that the Bar is not just a test of knowledge but a journey of resilience, persistence, and personal growth.
When the new lawyers take their oath, they will be adding working hours to courtrooms, new case handlers to prosecutors’ offices, and new advocates to legal aid desks.
The 2025 Bar results quietly expanded the country’s legal workforce at a moment when access to justice is shaped as much by manpower as by law itself.
With reports from Kenneth M. del Rosario, Kiara Gorrospe, John Lloyd Aleta, Nikko Garcia, and Kiko Escuadro
The 2025 Bar passers tell stories of perseverance and purpose. From former delivery riders to actors, this new batch of lawyers is set to strengthen the country’s overstretched legal system, bringing new energy to courts, government agencies, and public service.
READ:
Rocco Nacino on returning to ‘Bar Boys’ and carrying the story forward
King Abalos
December 26, 2025
After politics, Enzo Pineda finds new purpose in ‘Bar Boys: After School’
King Abalos
January 3, 2026
After PBB fame, Will Ashley faces law school, and life, in MMFF 2025 entry
Rafael Asonza
January 5, 2026
