SULAW celebrates nine bar passers, launches Jardeleza scholarship
The 2024 Bar Exam passers pose during the thanksgiving ceremony at the SU Moot Court.
The Silliman University College of Law (SULAW) hosted a thanksgiving service for its nine (9) 2024 bar passers and launched the Dean Salvacion Huising Jardeleza Memorial Scholarship on January 13, 2024, at the SU Moot Court, Villareal Hall, College of Law.
Dubbing the day as “a day of multiple celebrations,” Atty. Florin T. Hilbay, SULAW dean, spoke of celebrating the opening of the new semester, the thanksgiving and testimonial of the recent bar passers, the uniqueness of the SU Law school being “the only law school in the country, probably the only university that teaches a monetary network,” and the inauguration of its new scholarship through Hon. Justice Francis H. Jardeleza.
“This is a very memorable moment for you as you transition from law students and bar examinees to members of the legal profession,” Hilbay addressed the successful examinees.
Atty. Florin T. Hilbay, SULAW dean, delivers his opening message.
“I hope that once unleashed upon the innocent public, you will take the high road and be of service not only to yourselves and to your family but also to your nation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Betty Cernol McCann, SU president, congratulated the passers and underscored that passing the bar exams is just the beginning of their journey.
Dr. Betty Cernol McCann, SU president, speaks about the duty of the new lawyers to “provide service to the society and lift up the values of truth.”
“Very soon you will be out in the community and we do hope that carrying the brand of Silliman education you will continue to provide service to the society and lift up the values of truth, of integrity… making sure that everyone has the right… in court so that justice, indeed, will prevail,” McCann said.
The passers include Ven Albert E. Buenaobra, Abigail T. Miller, Isabel Maria Oamilda, Jezrel R. Perez, Alessandra Sabrina M. Pinili, Ram Michael M. Santos, Jay A. Tayros, Jan-Jefferson E. Tilos, and Val Dominic J. Uy.
McCann also thanked the generosity of Hon. Justice Francis H. Jardeleza who has decided to provide a scholarship in the College of Law.
“This [the scholarship] is in honor of his mother who, we found out, has spent a number of years as a high school student during the pre-war,” she explained.
The Dean Salvacion Huising Jardeleza Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a qualified law student, covering Php 40,000 per semester until he or she finishes law school.
In his message, Hon. Justice Francis H. Jardeleza talked about his mother and how he would hear stories about Silliman from her who had spent two years in the campus and another two years at St. Scholastica.
“My mother was a very devout Catholic but may napansin ako noong maliit pa kami [I noticed something when we were kids]. She was receiving two kinds of religious materials. One from Catholic and another from Protestant publications [Silliman].”
Hon. Justice Francis H. Jardeleza reminsces his childhood days with his mother who would tell him stories about Silliman University.
While the Catholic church was not as inclusive as it is now, according to Jardeleza, “My mother brought us in an atmosphere of religious toleration.”
He also thanked the efforts of Hilbay and Atty. Myles Nicholas G. Bejar who’d been instrumental in his involvement with Silliman.
Hon. Justice Francis H. Jardeleza was appointed as the 173rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on August 20, 2014. He served the Office until his retirement in September 2019.
Prior to his appointment as Associate Justice, he was Solicitor General of the Philippines and elevated the quality of representation by his Office by introducing capacity building programs to lawyers and aggressively recruiting top graduates of law schools. In his capacity as Solicitor General, he appeared before the Supreme Court numerous times to argue cases that challenged the constitution, including the Cybercrime Law and the Reproductive Health Law.
The bar passers with the faculty members of the SU College of Law pose after the ceremony.
Together with McCann at the event were Dr. Margaret Helen U. Alvarez, interim vice president for Academic Affairs and Research (VPAAR); Rev. Mark Agusto, Minister for Students and Campus Chaplaincy; Dr. Warlito S. Caturay Jr., Office of Media and Public Affairs chief; Glynnis Jean C. Casiño, Strategic Partnership and Enterprise Development officer-in-charge; faculty and staff members of the College of Law, including students and parents of the passers.
