43-year-old Charmaine Gabelo passes the Bar on her first take.
“Walang late na pangarap.” @gmanews pic.twitter.com/dCj3ApNIgj
— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) December 13, 2024
A 43-year-old mother who passed the 2024 Bar Examinations believes it is never too late to chase your dreams.
Charmaine Gabelo worked as a seafarer for 12 years and took on other jobs before taking the chance to be a lawyer. However, she said being a lawyer was always her father’s dream for her.
“Hindi pa late talaga. Walang late na pangarap. Basta trabahuhin mo, gawin mo. Ibigay mo talaga ‘yung puso at lahat ng magagawa mo. And malaking suporta ‘yung may maayos kang— ‘yung pamilyang naka support sa iyo, positive,” she said.
(It’s never too late. There’s no such thing as a late dream. Just work for it, do everything. Give it your all. And it’s a very big help if you have a good, if the family supporting you is positive.)
According to Gabelo, she was inspired by the thought of being able to help people.
“Nung nag stay ako dito, after ko mag barko kasi, di ba may tokhangan. Meron din ‘yung mga distribution na hindi mabigyan yung mga mahihirap talaga. May mga katanungan tayo na ganon. Or kaya corruption. Everything,” she said.
(When I stayed here after becoming a seafarer, remember there were tokhangs. There were also poor people who did not receive any (aid) distributions. I had questions like that. Or about corruption. Everything.)
“Kaya sabi ko sana, baka may pagkakataon na ibigay ‘yun ng, ibig sabihin magkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na baka makatulong din ako sana. Kaya sinubukan ko lang po,” she added.
(Then I thought, I might get the chance, the chance to help. So I tried.)
Gabelo was with her mother and son when she saw her name on the list of 3,962 individuals who passed the Bar exams.
Anne Nicole Roxas-Dolfo is lifted on the air by her father after passing the bar @gmanews pic.twitter.com/Psu3Zt1aOL
— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) December 13, 2024
Meanwhile, Anne Nicole Roxas-Dolfo was engulfed in a hug by her mother and father as they cried after she passed the examinations.
Roxas-Dolfo was later lifted on the air by her father in his joy.
“It was a big help for me. Very supportive sila, hindi lang sa financially but also making sure na nakakakain ako, na nakakapag aral ako nang maayos. So very thankful ako na supportive talaga sila,” she said.
(It was a big help for me. They are very supportive, not only financially but also in making sure that I was eating, that I was studying well. So I’m very thankful that they;re so supportive.)
She also advised future takers to not lose hope and to believe in themselves.
“Talagang mahirap ‘yan at lahat naman dumaan sa hirap kaya gawin mo lang kung ano ‘yung makakaya. Do your best and kaya mo yan,” she said.
(It’s difficult, but everyone faces hardship, so just do what you can. Do your best and you can do it.)
First-time taker Patricia Valesteros says she took the bar for her father, who passed away @gmanews pic.twitter.com/70Z2dy47Jj
— Joahna Lei Casilao (@joahnacasilao) December 13, 2024
First time taker Patricia Ballesteros and her mother, meanwhile, held each other’s hands as they cheered. Her mother, Jackie, said this was for her father, who passed away.
“Ang hirap ng pinagdaanan niya. Zero tuition fee ito, scholar ng ACCRA ito. Zero. Zero tuition fee kami. Talagang para sa kanya ito,” Jackie said.
(She went through a hard time. She didn’t have any tuition and fees, she was a scholar. Zero. Zero tuition fee. It’s really for her.)
Meanwhile, they welcomed that the passing rate was lowered to 74%.
“Masaya po kasi as maraming papasa (I’m happy because more people will pass),” Ballesteros said.
READ: List of passers, 2024 Bar Examinations
—LDF, GMA Integrated News
Be the first to comment