One unusual display of my knowledge: I was already well-versed in the concepts of guaranty and interests even before enrolling in law school in 2018. Growing up in our neighborhood, phrases like “You’re my guarantor, mare!” were commonly heard. Others would respond by saying “Oh, that’s 5-6,” referring to the exorbitant 20-percent interest imposed by loan sharks. This was the reality of life in our community. We had to find ways to make ends meet, and one way was borrowing money with the hope of paying it back at the end of the month. Having a guarantor and facing high-interest rates improved our chances of getting loans. However, a basic understanding of the law could have protected our neighborhood from these exploitative agreements. I discovered later on that a guaranty contract must be written in order to be enforceable, and the same goes for collecting interest. Without written proof, no interest can be collected. Unfortunately, the law is a political field. As you enter Malcolm Hall, home of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law, you will see the words of United States Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. inscribed: “The business of law school is … to teach law in a grand manner.” This is where the problem starts: Legal education in the Philippines has become a business. If you want access to high-quality legal knowledge, you have to pay for it. I remember one time when I visited a friend from law school on his birthday. His father asked me, “What does your father do?” I replied, “He drives a taxi, sir.” He responded with disbelief, as if children of taxi drivers had no right to attend law school in the Philippines. In retrospect, he may have been right. Nowadays, it is common to see UP Law students flaunting their Hermès bags, despite the fact that UP Law is supposed to be a public law school with a duty to provide access to disadvantaged students (as stated in Section 9 of the UP Charter). So where are the poor students? They are outside the law school, working hard to support their families. Going to law school, even with a scholarship, has become a privilege for the poor, which means depriving their families of the support they traditionally expect after college graduation. As a result, the gap between the rich and poor continues to widen. A simple look at the parking lot in Malcolm Hall speaks volumes about the demographics of UP College of Law. UP Law education has become a business catering to the elite. Now, as I graduate from this institution, I reflect on the countless times I considered leaving due to lack of funds. Going to law school felt like taking away the financial support my family needed. The most painful but honest statement I ever heard was: “If you didn’t go to law school, that money could have been used for something else.” This remark stung, despite the fact that I received a scholarship from UP College of Law after passing the law aptitude exam, a merit-based admission test. The harsh reality is that pure meritocracy only benefits the wealthy. How can a poor student compete with richer students whose brains have been nourished with the necessary resources since birth? It is true that UP Law must maintain academic excellence, but relying solely on merit-based exams only further disadvantages the poor. Limiting admission to academically excellent students shifts the burden of maintaining academic excellence onto the students themselves. UP Law needs to do more. One possibility is considering the financial status of students during the admission process, perhaps allocating more slots for poor students. Another option is expanding the evening program to accommodate working students and reducing the number of slots for day students. After all, Rockwell, Makati’s other law school, is more than willing to welcome affluent students. On August 2, the day I graduated from UP College of Law, the same day I took the UP College Admission Test years ago, I look back on my journey. It hasn’t been easy, especially considering the financial constraints. Going to law school felt like I was depriving my family of the support they needed. But despite the challenges, I am proud to have overcome them. It’s time for UP Law and other educational institutions to address the systemic barriers that prevent the poor from accessing legal education. Only then can we truly level the playing field and create a fair and inclusive legal profession. Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000. For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.
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