MANILA - The dean of the University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi (UST-Legazpi) Law School on Wednesday said that adequate preparation, school support and faith in God helped the institution produce 2 topnotchers in the 2019 Bar examinations.

The school's Mae Diane M. Azores and Myra M. Baranda were respectively named as the first and third top scorers in the recent Bar examinations, marking the first time UST-Legazpi had more than 1 graduate among the examinees' cream of the crop.

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"Ang thinking ng nasa province [na students], siguro they would not be able to make it [in the top 10]. So siguro, mindsetting lang," UST-Legazpi Law School Dean Mary Ailyne Zamora said in a DZMM interview.

(Most of the law students from provinces might think that they would not be able to make it in the Top 10. So I guess it is just mindsetting.)

"From the first year, we've been telling them na kaya naman nila... Motivation lang. And we were really judging kung ano yung mga mode of instruction [sa exam], and we try to parang tweak [our lessons] a little," she said.

(From their first year in law school, we've been telling them that they can top the exams... We just motivated them. And we were really judging the Bar exam's possible mode of instruction and tweak our lessons a little.]

"'Yung mga alumni, they were helping. They were giving feedback kung paano gagawin. We also asked the whole university to pray for the bar examinees," she said.

(Our alumni also helped. They gave feedback on what to do.)

• UST-Legaspi grad tops 2019 Bar Exams

The last time UST-Legazpi produced a Bar topnotcher was over a decade ago in 2007, Zamora said.

"It's such a blessing for us... I am so proud," she said.

The law school dean reminded Azores and Baranda that she expects them to "make a difference" by showing that they have a "good heart to be a lawyer."

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"I knew from the very start that you will be able to make it. I am proud not only because you topped the Bar, but also because I know you will be good lawyers," Zamora said.

"You have so much values that I know you would be able to make a difference," she added.

"Show the world - not just because you are Top 1 and Top 3, but because you are from UST-Legazpi - that you have a good heart to be a lawyer."

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