A retiree’s three takeaways from the past weeks
First off, on Facebook, successful bar examinees and their families were overly emotional, thanking Heaven, their parents, and family. Many recalled the difficult circumstances they endured just to hurdle the bar.
Some of the passers were repeaters; one finally made it on the fourth try after 23 years. The passers who excitedly made it were many. There were twins, three siblings, a father and daughter, a priest, a medical doctor, certified public accountants, a delivery rider, a fisherman, a fireman, a movie actor, a former beauty queen, et al. For them, this was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
The collective refrain was familiar: it’s never too late or never quit.
All of these point to our deep fixation on the law profession, more than medicine or engineering. This is ironic, considering that many corrupt government officials and crooked politicians are lawyers. In those cases, they end up as liabilities—or worse, pains in the ass.
I am reminded of local lawyers who became wealthy politicians from questionable sources, but now avoid public appearances or reunions out of shame.
Without being mean, one could argue that few people in their right mind would choose to hire a lawyer known to have repeatedly failed the bar, or a newly minted lawyer already in their twilight years.
Of course, there are bar passers who eventually become progressive or reformist politicians, upright practicing lawyers, independent justices, judges, fiscals, legal luminaries, or defenders of the poor and the disadvantaged. They may not command the highest fees, but they earn the highest respect of their peers and the public, which is something far more important.
On another note, there is a reality on the ground that has been off the government’s radar, making it difficult to say whether many Filipinos are truly just surviving. In its November 2025 poverty survey, Social Weather Stations found that 51 percent of Filipino families rated themselves as poor. Many government programs provide financial and material aid to the poor. These include Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, a conditional cash transfer; Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, primary crisis aid, offering medical, burial, transport, food, and other assistance; and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, emergency employment for disadvantaged/displaced workers. At the same time, there are many businesses across the country offering entertainment, relaxation, and even gambling, catering to anyone regardless of economic status.
No business owner will refuse a customer who is poor but has the money to spend on their business. Under these circumstances, many poor Filipinos, who are captive to these unproductive pursuits, will never have the chance to rebuild their lives. It is no wonder that Congress keeps on introducing “ayuda” initiatives. Instead of declining, the number of people needing help keeps increasing despite years of emergency assistance.
Lastly, in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita as of 2024, a Filipino economist calculated that it would take the Philippines 67 years, or by 2093, to catch up with Singapore’s $90,674. Ours was just $4,078, even lower than Vietnam’s $4,535 and Indonesia’s $4,958. This metric measures the economic state of countries; the higher the GDP per capita, the better the living conditions.
This is equivalent to saying we will need no less than 10 successive administrations, or presidents to catch up, and this assumes Singapore would stagnate. We will need a miracle to catch up. And to think that we have never consistently posted a significant GDP per capita. Worse, in the wink of an eye, our economic gains are wiped out by a crisis or disaster aggravated by bad governance.
Nono Felix,
felixnono9@gmail.com
