Good news travels fast. By the time you read this, you surely must have already known about the historical achievement of the Silliman University College of Law in producing three topnotchers in the 2016 Bar Examinations.
This achievement is made sweeter by the fact that law schools outside the Capital dominated the Top 10 places, which used to be the domain of schools like UP, Ateneo, and San Beda College.
Sure, we’ve always believed that we can always get quality education right here in Dumaguete for much less than what Manila schools are offering. With four universities in this 35 square kilometer territory, we refer to Dumaguete as a University Town. And we also believe that excellence knows no bounds. If you excel here in what others may refer to as a small town, you can no doubt excel anywhere.
But the results of the recent Bar exams, especially the performance of our very own Silliman topnotchers, proved that if one is willing to put in a lot of effort into something, with the proper guidance, you can be whatever you want to be.
All these topnotchers from Silliman – Atty. Alanna Gayle Ashley Khio, Atty. Marie Chielo Ybio, and Atty. Andrew Stephen Liu – had one thing in common: they studied, and studied, and studied. They went beyond their comfort zones to reach heights reserved for only a select few in the entire country.
We also doff our hats to the other new lawyers from Silliman University, Foundation University and the Negros Oriental State University. You have brought pride and honor, not only to your institutions but to our community.
We also laud the efforts of those who were unable to make the cut in the Bar exams. You have fought a good fight. The lessons you learned in the last four and a half years have made you better persons, leaving with you knowledge to last a lifetime.
Success comes at a price, not by a mere stroke of luck. Do you have what it takes to excel?
