MANILA, Philippines – While many dream of conquering the Bar exam, few can claim the rare feat of ranking in the Top 5 of not one—but two—national licensure exams.
Marc Angelo Santos, a working law student from the University of Santo Tomas (UST)-Faculty of Civil Law, achieved fifth place in the 2025 Bar examinations following a previous fifth-place finish in the 2019 Certified Public Accountant Licensure Exam (CPALE).
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| Photo courtesy: Marc Angelo Santos |
“Actually, na-blangko ako kasi hindi ako makapaniwala. To be ranked 5th is something na hindi ko ma-imagine,” Santos told Manila Standard, recalling the moment he learned of his results.
Balancing work and law school, Santos admitted, “I must admit it is really hard being a working law student, since you would want to give your 100% in studying… I took it as a challenge from the very start.”
In the 2025 Bar exams, Santos posted a general average of 91.5875%, joining three other Thomasians in the Top 10.
His success in law follows his fifth-place finish in the 2019 CPA exams with 89.17%, a discipline he credits for shaping his approach to law school and Bar review.
“The CPA licensure exam historically has a low passing rate. So at the time, I was really pressured to pass and do well. I think I carried that discipline and those efforts into my law school and Bar exam review,” he said.
Santos’ mother, also a CPA, inspired his early interest in accountancy and reinforced the value of hard work and perseverance.
He noted that certain accountancy subjects, like taxation, proved useful during his law studies, particularly in commercial law.
Despite the expectations following his CPA success, Santos said his main goal for the Bar was simply to pass, not to replicate his earlier ranking.
The Supreme Court announced the results on January 7 at its Manila headquarters, revealing a national passing rate of 48.98%, up from last year’s 37.84%.
Santos’ remarkable achievement serves as a testament to dedication, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in both accounting and law.
— The Summit Express