Ateneo Law School holds 76th Annual Commencement Exercises

Ateneo Law School held its 76th Annual Commencement Exercises at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater on December 10, 2022.

Dr John Paul C Vergara, former Vice President for the Professional Schools, formally opened the ceremonies following the traditional procession of the graduates, faculty, administrators and University officials that commenced at 4pm.

Leading the Class of 2022 was Mark David Q Vergara, Class Valedictorian and recipient of the Best Thesis award. In his valedictory speech, Vergara recalled how their batch overcame many adversities.

The Commencement Speaker, the Honorable Alexander G Gesmundo, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, challenged the Class of 2022 to “be lawyers for others” as he reminded the graduates to have a “burning passion for justice and a fervent desire to serve.” He referred to the life and work of the late Fr Joaquin Bernas SJ to emphasize that lawyering is indeed a vocation.

Aside from Chief Justice Gesmundo, himself an alumnus of the Ateneo Law School, batch 1984, the rest of the current Associate Justices who are alumni of the Ateneo Law School were also present, making the occasion more meaningful. They were Associate Justice and 2022 Bar Examinations Chairperson Alfredo Benjamin S Caguioa (ALS Batch 1985); Associate Justice Rodil V Zalameda (ALS Batch 1987); Associate Justice Ricardo R Rosario (Batch 1983); Associate Justice Jose Midas P Marquez (Batch 1993); and, Associate Justice Maria Filomena D Singh (Batch 1991).

Incorporated into the Commencement Exercises was the Induction to the Ateneo Law Faculty Hall of Fame of Atty Cynthia Roxas-Del Castillo, former Dean of the Ateneo Law School. She was introduced by Atty Lily K Gruba, Director of the Fr Joaquin G Bernas SJ Institute for Continuing Legal Education. In her speech, Roxas-Del Castillo expressed her love for teaching. She continued to impart lessons to the graduates. She told the graduates to use their “voice” and that “…the greatest tragedy of a lawyer is to be a fence-sitter, and to speak only when convenient or for material gain.”

Atty Aleli Angela G Quirino, Vice Chairperson of the Ateneo de Manila Law Alumni Association, Inc., led the graduates in reciting the Pledge of Honor. She also welcomed them to the Alumni Association.

Rev Fr Roberto C Yap SJ, University President, congratulated the graduates and honored them for their “endurance, compassion, optimism, and boldness of heart.” He said that the graduates “have shown us how to see God in all things: in life’s blessings and challenges.” He expressed hope that the graduates “will never grow weary of doing good and of serving others, especially the last, the least, and the lost.” Yap then proceeded to bless the graduates.