Thirty minutes and even hours after the announcement of bar examination results, she was nowhere to be found.
Reports would later reveal that on that very moment, she chose to cut communication with everyone and rather prayed in silence while hoping for the best from all the 'sleepless nights and plain reading' she only knew of. When she finally decided to turn on the phone, a brigade of text messages flooded her inbox, congratulating her for stealing the top spot. Nobody knew what her initial reaction was; but based on later interviews, she said it was unexpected and even thought of her fate as a miracle.
"I just wanted to be a Bedan lawyer, to pass the Bar and to be called an attorney" she said.
She is Irene Alcobilla, Top #1 in the 2014 Bar Examinations. And while she only aspired to become a lawyer, she soon realized that she had to set standards for herself. Hence, she had this benchmark every barrister have also set themselves in.
Meanwhile, news circulated of this young girl netizens instantly revered of. She is Krisel Mallari, class salutatorian of Sto. Nino Parochial School. The title however, is not yet final, as according to her, she was allegedly cheated on her way to the top. In her viral and interrupted speech, she claimed that she was a victim of teachers' favoritism, of unfair policies of the school; which overall ousted her name as the school's valedictorian.
A lot have praised her for revealing that the emperor has no clothes. While others may, throughout the years, have blindly succumbed to the worst educational system in the country; she chose to stand up for her own rights, which, according to an opinion, 'have disturbed the peace' in the system.
Apparently; they both have one goal--to be number one.
Who doesn't want to be praised, to be recognized and to be congratulated for all the hardwork done?
Anyone who says that grades doesn't matter is surely out of his mind. Of course grades are everything! Of course, having a flat-one transcript would help you land the most lucrative jobs, a fat paycheck and a good life. Reality shuns the idea of alternative modes of learning not centered on the four corners of the classroom. Those who are convenient with an academic setting would most likely stay on top. Gone are the Einstein or Jobs' inspiring story of quitting school yet praised for their brilliant ideas the history has ever known. In the actual world, it's either finish school, get good grades or suffer from poverty for the rest of your life.
Was Krisel a victim of injustice? That we don't know of, since what was presented to us was a mere viral video with a one-sided title. It is a fact that corruption even in the education system is no longer foreign to us as anyone can attest to a classic scenario where teachers who sell yemas would give additional points to students who'd buy from her product.
But was it the right venue to exercise the so-called freedom of speech? In a sea of graduates who are simply contented and thankful with the idea that they finally surpassed one of the most important stage in their school years? Is the school competition nowadays really centered on just being number one--at the expense of others? Don't we forget that we are in school because our parents told us that it is our second home--where we treat each other as family, we simply learn not only in class discussions but in interacting with others, and we stay there to hone our different roles in the society?--regardless if you're number one or not?
Undoubtedly, there is nothing wrong with aiming our way to the top, not to be contented with a broom or a mop. While both Irene and Krisel only aspired and hoped for the best, the other however, failed on the most important subject most often neglected in class.
She may have forgotten; since it does not even require a genius to pass.
Reports would later reveal that on that very moment, she chose to cut communication with everyone and rather prayed in silence while hoping for the best from all the 'sleepless nights and plain reading' she only knew of. When she finally decided to turn on the phone, a brigade of text messages flooded her inbox, congratulating her for stealing the top spot. Nobody knew what her initial reaction was; but based on later interviews, she said it was unexpected and even thought of her fate as a miracle.
"I just wanted to be a Bedan lawyer, to pass the Bar and to be called an attorney" she said.
She is Irene Alcobilla, Top #1 in the 2014 Bar Examinations. And while she only aspired to become a lawyer, she soon realized that she had to set standards for herself. Hence, she had this benchmark every barrister have also set themselves in.
Meanwhile, news circulated of this young girl netizens instantly revered of. She is Krisel Mallari, class salutatorian of Sto. Nino Parochial School. The title however, is not yet final, as according to her, she was allegedly cheated on her way to the top. In her viral and interrupted speech, she claimed that she was a victim of teachers' favoritism, of unfair policies of the school; which overall ousted her name as the school's valedictorian.
A lot have praised her for revealing that the emperor has no clothes. While others may, throughout the years, have blindly succumbed to the worst educational system in the country; she chose to stand up for her own rights, which, according to an opinion, 'have disturbed the peace' in the system.
Apparently; they both have one goal--to be number one.
Who doesn't want to be praised, to be recognized and to be congratulated for all the hardwork done?
Anyone who says that grades doesn't matter is surely out of his mind. Of course grades are everything! Of course, having a flat-one transcript would help you land the most lucrative jobs, a fat paycheck and a good life. Reality shuns the idea of alternative modes of learning not centered on the four corners of the classroom. Those who are convenient with an academic setting would most likely stay on top. Gone are the Einstein or Jobs' inspiring story of quitting school yet praised for their brilliant ideas the history has ever known. In the actual world, it's either finish school, get good grades or suffer from poverty for the rest of your life.
Was Krisel a victim of injustice? That we don't know of, since what was presented to us was a mere viral video with a one-sided title. It is a fact that corruption even in the education system is no longer foreign to us as anyone can attest to a classic scenario where teachers who sell yemas would give additional points to students who'd buy from her product.
But was it the right venue to exercise the so-called freedom of speech? In a sea of graduates who are simply contented and thankful with the idea that they finally surpassed one of the most important stage in their school years? Is the school competition nowadays really centered on just being number one--at the expense of others? Don't we forget that we are in school because our parents told us that it is our second home--where we treat each other as family, we simply learn not only in class discussions but in interacting with others, and we stay there to hone our different roles in the society?--regardless if you're number one or not?
Undoubtedly, there is nothing wrong with aiming our way to the top, not to be contented with a broom or a mop. While both Irene and Krisel only aspired and hoped for the best, the other however, failed on the most important subject most often neglected in class.
She may have forgotten; since it does not even require a genius to pass.
