By Aneliza T.Tangonan and Milliene Ianah Rocas
When we hear the word “law student,” we automatically imagine a full-time law student who is all over his codal without having to worry about “time.” A student who has every privilege to digest cases at any time of his or her convenience, and memorizing the law verbatim.
We immediately think of rough schedules and lesser time for social gatherings, while having to balance such with family and other life-long commitments.
These are some of the graduates of the San Beda College of Law 2023 who braved through and survived the challenges of law school and of life despite having the odds seemingly stacked against them.
UNDAUNTED: Jaymie Valisno
“I sensed the urgency to finish law school because I wanted my dad to watch me march in PICC.”
Jaymie Valisno fought one of her hardest challenges during her last semester in law school. She took her midterm and final examinations after leaving her father’s fragile body on a hospital bed.
Jaymie shared that she is a daddy’s girl. Her family is her source of strength and motivation, especially her father. Her father fully supported her going to law school, both financially and emotionally. In fact, she would have quitted law school a long time ago if not for her family.
Unfortunately, in her second semester of her fourth year, her father’s health deteriorated. Since law classes are conducted online, she became the primary caregiver of her father. Then, when she was about to take her midterm examinations, her father got confined in the hospital for an operation. During her final examinations, her father was rushed to the hospital again due to health complications.
On the other hand, she needed to go to Manila for a week to take her examinations. To leave her father in the province fighting for his life was the most painful part for Jaymie. She remembers crying in the midst of her review because she couldn’t help but worry about her father. But as soon as she thought of her father’s will to live to see her succeed, she fought a little more.
August 16, 2023 was a dream come true for Jaymie. Her father and her family who supported her dreams all throughout her law school journey finally got to watch her as she marched in her red toga. Finally, she is now a Juris Doctor, who is one step away from grabbing that title.
GRIT AND GRIND: Cyrus Cunanan
“If you have a dream of pursuing law and eventually becoming a lawyer, any age ay pwede. If you really want, it is never, and will never be, too late.”
Carrying his dream of becoming a lawyer, Cyrus marched on in his journey despite his age and the obstacles he faced prior to entering law school.
Cyrus Cunanan is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a great husband to his wife, Lai, and a loving father to their two children, Zynel and Zyrus Elai.
He was supposed to start his journey on becoming a lawyer back in 2000 after graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. However, this was delayed due to his father’s untimely death..
In 2008, Cyrus and his wife established an accounting firm. Later on, particularly in 2014, their firm merged with the accounting firm of their good friend, Atty. Jojo Rovero, who encouraged him to continue his law school journey. “After nung first tax season, Jojo and Lai reminded me to pursue my dream to become a CPA-Lawyer,” Cyrus recalls.
In 2014, Cyrus enrolled in San Beda College of Law. During his stay in law school, priority management was the hardest obstacle he had to deal with. Aside from being a law student, he is also a full-time husband, a father, and a firm owner.
For Cyrus, his family is his greatest inspiration. Grateful for his wife, Cyrus says, “She supports me sa lahat. May times nahirapan talaga ako mag-aral, ineencourage niya akong magpatuloy lang.” He is likewise grateful for his 18-year old daughter, Zynel, who helps and guides his 6-year-old son, Zyrus Elai.
One would wonder why Cyrus still choose to pursue law despite his success in career and in life – this because this has been his life-long dream. For him, there is always room for improvement in one’s life no matter how successful they are. “If you are not growing, then you are dying.” Continuous growth and improvement (kaizen) is one of his core values in life.
Currently, Cyrus is an ASEAN Chartered Professional Accountant (ASEAN CPA) with more than 20 years of experience in global audit/accounting firms, consulting, assurance and advisory business services. He and his wife are the present Founding Directors of ProKaizen Consulting Corp., a consulting and accounting firm/office located in Makati City.
And now, still pushing, hoping, praying, Cyrus aims to reach his next goal – to pass the 2023 Bar Examinations.
RELENTLESS: Nicolai Manguerra
“Wala akong ibang hinangad simula pagkabata kundi maging lawyer.”
Nicolai Manguerra, a Certified Public Accountant, sent himself to law school for four (4) years. He was a taxation professor in prominent universities within Pampanga and Mendiola, and an accounting and auditing practitioner, as a sideline. Then, at night, despite being tired from all the rigorous activities from work, he diligently attends his class.
He recounted that his freshman year was the hardest part of his law school journey. He remembered waking up at four o’clock (4:00) in the morning to read the assigned coverage by his professor. Thereafter, he will be preparing himself to work for the whole day. After work, he will be going straight to campus to cram the assigned coverage. Then, he will be eating his dinner as his rest, only to read again before hitting the sack.
He got used to this routine until the pandemic hit,after which more adversity came and his tenacity was again tested. When the pandemic hit the Philippines, his family was not spared. His family members were consecutively infected by the COVID-19 virus. He narrated that his father was greatly affected by symptoms that they decided to confine him in the hospital. He volunteered to be the primary caregiver of his father ,because among his family members, he was the most capable in terms of health resistance at that moment. He further narrated that while he was in the hospital taking care of his dad, he teaches online and attends his classes. He survived this even though the final examination was nearing. He even jokingly noted, “Buti na lang magaling ako sa multi-tasking.”
Besides being a good son, Nico is also known as a reliable friend. More often than not, he finds time to mentor his law school friends when he sees that they are having a hard time, especially in taxation law.
Nico characterized working law students as resourceful and excellent in time management. He said that they don’t have the luxury of time to waste it on insignificant matters. They are resourceful because they developed their own means and study habits to do their quality reading. Moreover, he also feels the advantage of being a working student during his bar review because he knows how to remain calm and maintain his composure despite the nearing Bar Exams.
Furthermore, he encourages students to be relentless in pursuing their dreams: Do it weak, do it tired, don’t stop. As he stated, “Cliché as it may sound, first year daw ang start ng bar review, pero narealize ko, habang papalapit nang papalapit ang Bar, totoo pala talaga iyon. Kaya kahit pagod and puyat, mag-aral pa rin, ilaban pa rin.”
THE BARRISTER 