Cebu Grad Lands 5th in Bar Exams

A certified public accountant (CPA) from Cebu landed fifth place in the 2014 Bar Examinations.

Michelle Liao, 31, who graduated Cum Laude at the University of Cebu in 2014, garnered an average score of 84.5 percent to claim the fifth spot.

Liao, a resident of Laguardia, Lahug, Cebu City, is the only examinee from Cebu who made it to the top 10.

Liao said she was overwhelmed by the result of the exams. “Unbelievable,” she said.

She said she did not expect to make it because it was not her intention to take the Bar at first.

In fact, it was already late when she started to review for the exams, she said.

Liao finished her accountancy at the University of San Carlos as Magna Cum Laude.

She is currently a consultant at Ceres Summit Company.

Dean Baldomero Estenzo of the UC College of Law said he was happy over the school’s performance in the recent Bar exams.

He said 13 out of the 22 first takers have passed, giving UC a passing percentage of 59.09 percent.

He said Liao was an academic scholar who enjoyed free tuition and books while in the College of Law.

Estenzo said that as a tradition, the university will give a brand new car to Liao. The school also offered a teaching job for her if she wants to teach in the College of Law.

Liao is the fourth graduate of UC to make it to the top 10 since the university opened its College of Law in 2002.

Patricia Janelli “Paje” Davide, 26, the eldest daughter of Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III was also among the more than 1,000 examinees who passed the Bar.

A graduate of the Ateneo Law School in Manila, she is the third member of the Davide family to become a lawyer, after her grandfather retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and her father Governor Davide III.

Other passers from Cebu include Father Domingo “Dan” delos Angeles Jr., who used to work in the media, Juril Patiño, former station manager of Bombo Radyo Cebu, and Fire Officer 1 Alvin Torion. (PNA) FPV/EB