By Sage Rainelle A. Lingatong & French Vivienne T. Templonuevo | The Red Chronicles
In preparation for the penultimate fight of the Bedan bar examinees on the #MostValuableLaban Bar Examinations season, various SBCA student organizations have shown their unwavering support and unparalleled servant leadership for the 2024 Bar Operations.
Spearheaded by the School of Law’s esteemed and beloved Dean Ulpiano Sarmiento III, SBCA Centralized Bar Operations (CBO), School of Law Government (SLG), and the SBCA Volunteer Corps (Volcorps), the collective efforts of the studentry have exhibited the Bedan camaraderie and encouragement to this year’s Bedan bar candidates.
Various projects and initiatives were launched by the student leaders and volunteers to heed their clarion call: to selflessly and unceasingly serve the Bedan community.
Academic and Operational Programs
The assemblage of programs curated by the SBCA Centralized Bar Operation includes academic initiatives, bar mentorship, lecture series, cascading of crucial announcements from the Supreme Court of the Philippines, and the SBCA School of Law.
“This year, the Centralized Bar Operations has focused its efforts on providing our Bedan bar candidates with the strongest academic foundation possible. Our dedicated teams have worked tirelessly to create comprehensive review materials, bar notes, and mock exams, equipping our future lawyers with the necessary knowledge and skills to excel,” shared CBO Secretariat Migern Estabillo.
He added, “At the heart of our support system is the mentorship program, a visionary initiative of our beloved Dean. By pairing seasoned professors with our Bedan bar candidates, we aimed to offer guidance and encouragement throughout this journey.”
The Bar Kits Project
The Bar Care Kits Project, led by the School of Law Government, and SBCA Volcorps in collaboration with SBCA Centralized Bar Operations, has become an annual tradition as the bar month approaches. It is a testament to the SBCA School of Law Community’s commitment to holistic support for the Bedan bar candidates.
SBCA Volcorps Chief Sarah Riguera told The Red Chronicles, “In preparations for the 2024 Bar Examinations, Volcorps being the manpower and support of SLG, helped with the packing of the bar kits.”
“The Bar Kits project was more than just a logistical exercise; it was a testament to our commitment to holistic support,” said SBCA SLG External Vice President Anthony John Rodriguez.
Last August 10, 2024, each bar care kit was carefully prepared and assembled by student leader-volunteers with prayer, love, care, and support with the hope of reassuring and uplifting the spirits of the bar examinees who studiously prepared for the most rigorous exams in their lives—the Philippine Bar Examinations.
Student Leaders Unite
SBCA SLG External Vice President Anthony John Rodriguez further affirmed that his role in aiding the production of the academic materials as a CBO Subject Head, coupled with his task in leading the bar kits initiative, were manifestations of the steadfast dedication of servant leaders to empower the bar takers with the tools and resources essential for their bar journey.
“Servant leadership is a philosophy grounded in the belief that leaders should prioritize the needs of others over their own. As a student leader and volunteer, I have endeavored to embody this principle by wholeheartedly dedicating myself to the success of the 2024 Bedan bar takers,” he added.
“In everything we do for our bar takers, we center it [on] the thought that these people were our close friends, acquaintances, classmates, and schoolmates. They are the people we’ve seen and met on this journey, but most importantly, they are our law school family,” Volcorp Chief Sarah Riguera told The Red Chronicles.
Finally, CBO Secretariat Migern Estabillo affirmed that the embodiment of servant leadership means a selfless prioritization of the Bedan bar candidates’ specific needs while forging a supportive and conducive environment. He highlighted that the collective goal of every volunteer is to ensure that the examinees are enabled to reach their best selves in preparation for the bar season.
Earlier this year, the student leader-volunteers tirelessly aided the bar examinees during the 2024 Bar Examinations that transpired last September 8,11 and 15.
Note: This article was first published in the 2024 Bar Issue print issue of The Red Chronicles last September 26, 2024.