Dumaguete City produced at least 16 new lawyers in the 2009 Bar examinations. The new lawyers are from Silliman and Foundation Universities in Dumaguete and law schools in Bacolod City and Cebu City.

An official list from the Silliman University College of Law identified their new bar passers as Sheena Alesna, James Roulyn Alvarico, Mark Christofel Banquerigo, Jorge Christian Cabrido, Ruben Llosa, Rommel Ian Mirasol, Ace Victor Risma, Edric Torremocha, Chloe Hope Trinidad, Benjan Ilahan and Nabi Montenegro. Silliman University’s passing average is at 60 percent.

Foundation University, on the other hand, produced three lawyers. Dean Eleuterio Chiu of the FU College of Law identified the three new Fu lawyers as Wilson Abrasaldo, Jesus Ramon Quevenco and Rosemarie Russel. Foundation University’s passing average is  at 20 percent.

Two other Dumagueteños made it in the Bar: Elnathan “BJ” Lim, and Jo Ann Marie Muñoz. The new lawyers were among the 1,451 out of the 5,903 examinees in the Bar examinations given in September last year.

Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo Nachura, chair of the 2009 Committee on Bar Examinations, said the national passing average is at 24.58 percent of the total examinees. Nachura said the passing rate was lowered from the 75 percent to 71 percent, while the disqualification grade in Taxation has been lowered from 49 percent to 45 percent.

The 2009 Bar exams marked the first time that not one but two people were designated as examinees in each of the eight Bar examination subjects. The Bar exams are traditionally held in four consecutive Sundays of September but the High Court had to reset the last exam to October 4, 2009 due to widespread flooding brought about by Typhoon Ondoy.

Meanwhile, the Board of Electronics Engineers has revealed the examinees from Negros Oriental who passed the examination for Electronics technician and is not issued the corresponding professional licenses by the Professional Regulations Commission recently. The passers are Bernard Bad-an, Clive Alden Catan, Sedney Cabasag, Jaime Catan, Patrick Garin Diao, Jesus Diones Jr., Gilbert Gutib, Paul Hisoler, Gilmar Morales, Ranello, Paul Natividad, Rommel Oyales, Oliver Patrimonio, Oliver Peralta, Sherwin Silot, Garnerted Tomaquin, joseph Thomas, Jeffry Ubag, Teofilo Ubag, Renato Velasco, Geraldy Villamor, Ranelio Natividad, and Jonathan Virgo.

They may claim their licenses to the Provincial Director Bill Peralta of the National Telecommunication office at Dumaguete City Water District Building, Purok Kalubihan, Dumaguete City. The Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines Inc. has also congratulated engineers Floredo Aplaon and Gwyn Balalong for satisfactorily passed the examination for Professional Electronics Engineers. Both are now conferred with the rights and the privileges to sign and seal the electronic plans and permits.