100 PERCENT. The Mariano Marcos State University has posted a 100-percent passing rate in the Bar exam, according to results released by the Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 12, 2022). Two of the school's 12 new passers got an exemplary performance with a rating of 85 percent to 90 percent. (Photo courtesy of MMSU Stratcom) LAOAG CITY - Keeping its tradition as one of the best law schools in the country, the state-run Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac City has posted a 100-percent passing rate in the Bar examination, according to results released by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Out of the 12 takers of MMSU who passed the Bar exam, two got an exemplary performance with a rating of 85 percent to 90 percent, way higher than the national passing rate of 71.28 percent. They are Ofe Marie L. Balalio and Czarina Mae Claudine F. Cid. Aside from the two, the other new Ilocos Norte-based lawyers are Nikki Joy F. Barroga, Juan Paulo P. Flojo, Alyssa Marie A. Jacinto, Leidee January G. Lacambra, Myka Josa D. Llaguno, Zadrick R. Lucas, Jheia Lindhelle N. Paned, Marianne Shen L. Petilla, Alessandra Rica P. Rupisan, and Niccolo Vittorio T. Santos. They are among this year's 11,402 bar takers, the largest number in the country's history, covering batches from 2020 and 2021. In a phone interview on Tuesday, Barroga, one of the newly-minted lawyers of MMSU from Pinili town in Ilocos Norte, said it has been her childhood dream to become a lawyer. "I have mixed feelings right now because I never expected to pass the exam. I just surrendered everything to God that His will be done," said the 27-year-old who is also a certified public accountant. She said her dream to become a lawyer was inspired by her father who also earned a law degree when he was younger but failed to hurdle the Bar. Elated by the result, MMSU College of Law Dean Brian Jay Corpuz said, "The whole law school celebrates this magnificent news, and shall continue to produce bar-ready graduates." While extending her congratulations to the successful examinees, MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis said, "I am confident that our MMSU-grown lawyers will surely banner competence and excellence in serving our fellow Ilokanos." The university president's daughter, Cheska Arla Agrupis, who graduated law from the San Beda University in 2020, likewise, passed the Bar exam. Examinees took the Bar on February 4 and 6, 2022 in 31 local testing sites around the country. The Legal Education Board has recognized the MMSU as a top-performing law school in the country in the past years: Top 10 in 2018 and Top 3 in 2019 under the category of those with fewer than 63 examinees. (PNA) }