“Definitely there were a lot of times I doubted myself but I’m happy to say that I did overcome those doubts and insecurities and I’m just happy to be me right now.”
These are the words of now Atty. Sean James Borja, an Ateneo de Manila University alumnus, who topped the 2018 bar exams.
Openly gay, Borja obtained the highest score of 89.3060%, leading the 1,800 aspiring lawyers who passed the bar exams.
Interviewed by ABS-CBN News Channel following the Supreme Court’s announcement of the results of the 2018 bar exam, Borja was asked if he had ever felt that “being gay did not make you worthy to follow your aspirations.”
Borja was quoted as saying that “definitely… I guess especially during grade school — you know how grade school is like when you’re being bullied for being different and it was during that time… where you think you’re not good enough to be at the top; to be a lawyer to fulfill your dreams just because of who you are.”
When Borja delivered his valedictory address for class 2018 of the Ateneo Law School, Borja actually talked about his being part of the LGBTQIA community.
The rest of the top 10 are:
- Marcley Augustus Natu-el, University of San Carlos, 87.53%
- Mark Lawrence Badayos, University of San Carlos, 85.842%
- Daniel John Fordan, Ateneo de Manila University, 85.443%
- Katrina Monica Gaw, Ateneo de Manila University, 85.421%
- Nadaine Tongco, University of the Philippines, 85.032%
- Patricia Sevilla, University of the Philippines, 84.859%
- Kathrine Ting, De La Salle University-Manila, 84.857%
- Jebb Lynus Cane, University of San Carlos, 84.805%
- Alan Joel Pita, University of San Carlos, 84.693%
The 2018 bar exam posted a passing rate of 22.07%, which is lower than the previous year’s passing rate of 25.5%.
