Instead of exuberant voices reverberating throughout the Ateneo Professional School’s Rockwell campus in Makati, the Ateneo Law School’s bar passers commemorated their milestone moment virtually. Joined by the school’s administrators, professors, staff, student leaders and alumni, the May 1 Thanksgiving video conference was no less meaningful and joyful.
Determined not to be dampened by not being able to physically gather to celebrate this momentous occasion because of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, the school’s annual Thanksgiving went virtual for the first time. Complete with its traditional unfurling of the names of the passers against the drum beats of Go Ateneo, messages from the passers themselves, the toast, and the unison singing of the alma mater hymn virtually replicated the actual physical gathering.
Despite the uncertain times, it was important for the Ateneo Law School community to come together and celebrate the 115 new Ateneo lawyers. The school posted a passing rate of 85.34% for first-time exam takers and 82.73% overall.
The virtual Thanksgiving brought together ALS bar passers, school administrators and faculty.
University President Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin SJ serves as mass presider.
Dr John Paul Vergara, Vice President for the Professional Schools, echoed the same.
“Indeed, the world has changed. Not only that, inequalities have been revealed in ways we haven’t seen before. Policies and bureaucracies have been challenged. Our leaders have been put to task, and many are struggling. In other words, it is now when the world also needs help— from professionals like you, who can help enable mechanisms to deal with crises like the one we are in today. I hope that now that you have passed the bar, it will renew a kind of idealism towards a mission to serve and help our country in your own way—to help change the world in your own little way.”
For his part, Ateneo Law School Dean Jose Maria Hofileña told the new Ateneo lawyers to “take to heart the same fundamental values in heeding the call to genuine service.” As a final advice to the bar passers during this COVID 19 crisis, Dean Hofileña said, “Spread your lawyer wings in true service to others, for the greater glory of God and make it your mission to infect others with this.”
The ‘Zoom from the Hill” (ZFTH) activity was organized by Dean Maita Chan-Gonzaga, the Ateneo Law School Student Council and the members of the Central Bar Operations. The event was hosted by Atty. Mickey Ingles.
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