LIFE AS A LAW SCHOOL STUDENT
A lot of my friends asked me why do I want to become a lawyer when I am
already a physician. I told them that probably I have a lot of time and I didn’t want to
waste them on playing candy crush. Of course, that’s a joke.
Way back then, I shun to see courtrooms and lawyers. I desist them because I
believe that the courtroom is a battlefield, where lawyers would throw anger on each
other. I am basically a person who loves my peace and I don’t want a world where there
is constant rage and fits. But, when I became a physician, that belief was about to
change without me realizing it. In my practice, I see a lot of patients who were deprived
of justice due to medical negligence. The truth is, we physicians had this culture of
protecting our kind – as much as we can. This was what PRRD lamented when I had a
talk with him as a media personality when he was still a mayor in Davao City.
The numerous injustice that I have seen propelled me to study law. I know that I
have to protect our kind. But, I believe that even if they were my kind, and if they have
done wrong, they should be held accountable. I always believe that no one should be
above the law. And even if that would take me to a world where there are fits and rage,
as long as justice would be served, I would gladly take my armor and set my fight.
I was not a typical law student when I started law school at JMC College of Law
because I was working with multiple jobs, then. I was a radio program anchor and TV
segment anchor for ABS-CBN Davao, a health columnist for Sunstar and SuperBalita
Davao, a Pharmacology faculty for the College of Pharmacy and an in-house physician
for Friendly Care Diagnostic Clinic and I also had my own clinic as well. The truth is, I
didn’t know how I was able to survive my first year. But, I remembered myself sacrificing
a lot as I juggled between work and school.
There was a time that I woke up at past 7am and my classes would start at 8am.
I basically went to school without taking a bath and breakfast. I only kept my hair and
read my notes while I was on my way. There were so many times that I had to fight my
way for a seat in jeepneys, on my way to school. And during those traffic hours, I find
myself reading through my notes. And of course, those digests, how can I forget. I
remember doing them in between medical consultations. I have to I recalled shedding a
lot of tears, then. But, as far as I can remember, there never was a time that I thought of
surrendering.
On my second year, it was a lot tougher. But, I find myself already falling in love
with the profession. Then, on my third year, I transferred to St. Mary’s College in Tagum
City because I already worked as a duty physician for Nephrology Center of Tagum City.
It was much tougher because I had some financial problems way back then. I was
taking care of my mother who sustained several fractures, aside from her co-morbidities
and I had to take care of her hospital bills as I didn’t have any brother or sister to help
me – which amounted to more than a million pesos.
At that point in time, I thought that I can no longer continue my law studies
because of financial problems. I was in my third year of law school at that time when I
came to SMC College of Law. The law school secretary told me that they are giving me
until Tuesday the next week to enroll. I didn’t know then, where would I find money to
pay for my enrollment fee, not to mention that I still have some balance with the JMC
College of Law. I can’t definitely be cleared without me settling my account balance. I
needed P30,000.00 then. I didn’t know where to get that. I remembered myself staring
in an empty space in the third floor of St. Mary’s College. And the only thing that I did
was pray. I talked to God and told him that if this was His will, then, I have to surrender. I
told Him, if this is His will, then, I am okay.
But, some miracle happened. I call this a miracle. This is a TRUE STORY. At
about 20-30 minutes after I prayed to God, I received a text message from somebody, I
didn’t know. He was asking me if I need money and he will let me borrow. I thought it
was just a scam. But, I answered anyway. He said, that he will let me borrow
P30,000.00 and I can get it the following day at Lhuillier. The truth was, I didn’t really
hope for that. I thought, it was just another hullabaloo. But, my expectations turned out
to be wrong. I got the P30,000.00 the following day and I paid my balance with JMC
College of Law and my enrollment with SMC College of Law before my Tuesday
deadline. And all the time, that I needed money for law school, I always have seen how
God provided for me.
That was also the time, when I worked as a company physician for Maxicare for
their BPO clients. I read my books while on standby for patients. My day is quite
gruesome. I have to go off at my work at 7 am – so, I can catch up with my classes with
the College of Pharmacy. Then, I did my daily rounds for the dialysis patients and read
in between my law books. At 5pm, I would hurry for my classes at SMC College of Law
and then, report for my work with Maxicare at 10pm. I remember taking a bath at the
dialysis center the next day and only see my mother during Sundays, or on my day off.
This was also the toughest time as I lost my mother and I had to take the exams no
matter what.
Then, pandemic came. My cousin who was a mayor in our hometown in Leyte
asked me to pitch in for the Municipal Health Officer position. I agreed then, because I
was all alone at that time as my mom was no longer with me. I attempted to enroll at
Maasin College of Law then for my 4th year. But, Odette came and Southern Leyte was
a total wreck. Electricity and Internet connections were down and so my desire to
pursue my law studies.
Then, late last year, a former classmate messaged me and asked me if I
continued my studies. I told her, I hope I can. Then, she told me that she graduated
from PLS. And that gave me some flicker of hope to get back into the business once
again. And, so here I am – fighting again for that dream.
I hope to become a lawyer someday. I pray that this is His will, too. But, I am not
very optimistic. I have to deal with my negativities to help me propel to work for that
dream day after day.