On the second day of JBC interview for the next Chief Justice who will replace the impeached

exChief Justice Renato Corona, Prof. Raul Pangalangan, a former UP College of Law Dean and a nominee for the Chief Justiceship, took note of the fact that in Japan and in Korea, law students already chose what career they would take. Because they belong to the continental tradition, Prof. Pangalangan said, students choose their career path toward the last two years of their lives as law students. In other words, they already choose their focus whether they would like to be members of the judiciary, members of the prosecutorial service, or members of the practicing bar. I have likewise been asked by people close to me what I would become after I pass the bar. Now, Im not that sure yet. Maybe I would teach. Go into private practice. The options are many. But Im seriously considering entering PAO (Public Attorneys Office). Last Saturday, during our Criminal Justice System class, our teacher Atty. Rudy Alonzo shared to us some insights and experiences he had with PAO. A new lawyer in PAO receives 25,000 every month. Thats a piddling, considering the workload in the agency. Atty. Alonzo said that he knew of one lawyer who resigned one month after being hired. The lawyer, Atty. Alonzo said, was perhaps overwhelmed by the more or less 200 cases assigned to him in the beginning. In PAO, the pay is indeed discouraging, the workload overwhelming. Yet Atty. Alonzo stayed long. Hes been with PAO for more than 20 years now. Ive stayed with PAO, Atty. Alonzo said, because Im one of them. He was referring to the indigent clients of PAO. Its not glamorous to be in PAO, he said. You are almost always in court, arguing, defending, and cross-examining whatsoever. Every day you face clients who tell their stories as if theirs are saddest stories ever written and they are the most unfortunate individuals to have lived. Nevertheless, Atty. Alonzo said, in PAO, you will learn to think fast, act fast, and work fast. There are just so many things to do in so short a time. Indeed, PAO will hasten your growth, equip you with the right stuff, and keep you grounded on reality. Today, I havent made up my mind yet. Im, however, convinced that its not so bad a prospect to be in PAO.