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The main building of the University of Santo Tomas during the 400th year celebrations of the Pontifical and Royal University of the Philippines.
Wikimedia Commons / Tristantamayo
MANILA, Philippines — Five Bar Exam takers from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) placed in the top 20 of the 2025 Bar Examinations.
During the release of the 2025 Bar Examination results on Wednesday, January 7, four of the Top 20 are from UST Manila, while one is from UST-Legazpi.
The following are the students from UST who placed in the Top 20:
- Rank 2: Spinel Albert Allauigan Declaro from UST-Manila (92.46%)
- Rank 3: Alaiza Agatep Adviento from UST-Manila (91.91%)
- Rank 5: Mark Angelo Galvez Santos from UST-Manila (91.58%)
- Rank 7: Johan Raphael Silapan Gata from UST-Manila (90.90%)
- Rank 16: Mae Angela Damaso Locsin from UST-Legazpi (89.42%)
For schools with more than 100 takers, UST placed third with an 87.16% passing rate behind the University of the Philippines with a 94.63% passing rate and Ateneo De Manila University with a 96.52% passing rate.
In a statement, UST Faculty of Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina said that they are "deeply grateful for this remarkable achievement."
"Producing five Bar topnotchers is a testament to the dedication of our students, the tireless commitment of our faculty, and the unwavering support of the Dominican Fathers, led by the Father Rector, Reverend Father Richard Ang, O.P., families and mentors who walked this journey with them," Divina said in a statement.
"At UST Faculty of Civil Law, our guiding formula has always been simple yet profound: study as if everything depends on study, and pray as if everything depends on prayer. We thank God for His grace, and we thank everyone who believed, worked hard, and prayed with us," he added.
12 years ago
2025 Bar Examinations Chairperson Amy Lazaro-Javier recalled an anecdote about Declaro, who ranked 2nd in the examinations.
She said that Declaro first took the Bar Exams "12 or 13 years ago." However, he failed during his first try.
"After failing it, he never again wanted to take it, and then he just concentrated on his business, and he is a successful business person," Lazaro-Javier told reporters in a press briefing.
"When I met him again, I really convinced him to try again," she added.
Out of the 11,420 Bar examinees, there are 5,594 examinees who passed the exams, yielding a passing rate of 48.98%.
