Lesson 1 of 4:

“Why Your Law School,

Previous Bar Takes,
New Textbooks, Bar Reviewer,
Number of Readings, and Review
Center, Has NOTHING or Little To
Do With Your Ability to Pass or
Even Top the Bar Exams…”

From : Atty. Aldrin

Pasig City, Metro Manila

This may be shocking to Bar hopefuls…

All of the lawyers of the land – at the end of the day - they’re all just
ordinary people.
MAJORITY of Bar passers year in and year out did not came from
the Top 3 Law Schools in the country, majority of them did not
graduate with honors

marami sa kanila…

….nag enroll sa review center pero hindi naman nag attend

…hindi na bumili ng new textbooks for the Bar

…naka isang reading lang – at most

Heck, some of them may mga bagsak o maraming bagsak noong

Law School (like me.. hehe)

Because you see, in the Bar Exams, it is a different ball game.

Everyone has equal chances of making it.

Regardless of the school you came from…

Regardless of your law school standing…

Regardless of how many takes ka na sa Bar…

Regardless of any advantage any Bar ops could give..

All of these Has NOTHING or Little To Do With Your Ability to Pass

or Even Top the Bar Exams

In a nutshell, what you need to do in the Bar Exam Room is this:

Find the issue posed by the problem, then read the facts and mentally
note which are important and then answer…

And the most important thing you should ask yourself is this…

Ano bang gustong malaman ni Examiner o ano ba yung

itinutumbok niyang topic?

In this way, masasagutan mo na yung Bar Question confidently…

Sa ganitong paraan, maiiwasan ang pag bubura bura sa booklet (na

ayaw na ayaw ng mga Examiners because it indicates na hindi ka
sure sa sagot mo)…

Sa ganitong paraan, para masabi ni Examiner na:

“Alam ng batang ito yung sinasabi niya... Full

credit!”
Now some would read this and go… “That’s it!??”

I can’t blame you.

Several years before I sit for the Bar Exams, I really thought na in
order to succeed in the Bar Exams….

…you need to memorize all the laws of the land,

…you need to have all the available textbooks in Rex and Central
(you need to have the entire Civil Law books of Tolentino and Paras,
the Remedial Law books of Justice Regalado etcetera)

… you need to come from the top schools

…you need to sit in the Bar with no bagsak grade, and

…. enroll in a review center to attend lectures from renowned bar

reviewers.

In my head parang eto lang yung way

para maging abogado…

Well, okay, sure, while they can certainly help…

BUT they will not assure you passing the exam…

…unless pag nakaupo ka na sa Bar exam room sa UST

You make use of these three (3) things…

FIND THE CORE ISSUE.

FIND THE IMPORTANT FACTS.

PROVIDE A RESPONSIVE ANSWER.

Now let me say this…

All Good Bar Candidates begin with a simple process that allows them
to do these three things with ease.

Which is why before you sit for the Bar Exams, you should have a
deep insight into these three things:

The core issue in the Bar Problem

The important from the unimportant facts

Your Answer which is RESPONSIVE, Direct, Concise and
Straight-to-the-Point

1. Identifying the ISSUE allows you to easily know what topic the
examiner is pointing out.

Because seriously, how will you answer the problem if you do not
know the issue?

2. Knowing the IMPORTANT FACTS allows you to have an insight...

...as to how you will attack the problem in a straight-forward way – no
beating around the bush kind of way!

3. Knowing the RESPONSIVE ANSWER....

...and outlining it in the questionnaire

allows you to make sure all the keywords and phrases are incorporated

And of course – outlining your answer enables you to keep your

booklet clean and neat

I can’t stress this enough…

“The secret to succeeding in the Bar

Exams is this…
…Find out what the Bar Examiners
want and give it to them…”

“Lol Attorney, ‘yan na ‘yun? Naglolokohan ba tayo

dito?”

“Don’t you need to really memorize the laws and

jurisprudence involved in order to solve a Bar
Problem?”

Well, handa ka na ba? (Rated K voice… Hehe)

The answer is, ‘No.’

Think about it…

Most of us (if not all) graduated in law school without having

memorized even the Civil Code and the Family Code of the Philippines
from cover to cover.

I mean – ALL the freaking Articles!

So how do you expect yourself to memorize them in a

matter of 4 to 6 months?
And…

Hindi lang naman Civil Law ang subject sa Bar…

…meron pang 7 other subjects

So, it’s not about blindly memorizing stuff.

It frankly never was.

Then again, this doesn’t mean you should not memorize and
incorporate in your answer the key words and phrases of crucial
laws and jurisprudence…

That’s not the point.

I’m writing this training assuming you’re a law graduate and will not
sit on the Bar without having read and studied in at least a semester or
two all the laws involved in the Bar Syllabus.

Wala namang uupo sa Bar Exam na walang inaral. Tama?

All I’m pointing out is the absurd excuse of

‘Di ako naka 5 readings kasi…’

as reason for why they’re not going for their dreams...

That’s just an excuse.

You may not be THE Bar Bet of your school…

But this shouldn’t stop you from taking the Bar and becoming a
lawyer.

In fact, you could just be an average student with an average IQ like

me who made it despite the obstacles.

And like all successful Bar candidates…

All you have to do is to find out the core issue, the important facts and
write a responsive answer to the Bar problem.

Now I don’t want to overwhelm you…

But there’s something I want you to remember come Bar exam time…

You see…

Most Bar candidates pag hindi nila alam ang problem…

…Nag-bebeat around the bush

…Nambobola

…or worst nagiimbento ng sagot

For example…

Look at what 2019 Bar Chair Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe wrote

when she was handpicked by Justice Azcuna as the Bar Examiner in
the 2007 Mercantile Law Bar Exam…

“I had thought all along that law schools and review centers drill
their examinees in answering questions, especially those they know
nothing about. But I was sorely disappointed to read prayers of the
Holy Rosary and pleas for mercy in between snippets of what
appears to be poor paraphrases of commercial law doctrines. Some
examinees negligently omitted answers to certain questions, or
merely repeated the same answer to other questions. What was
unacceptable, though, was that a good number of the examinees
failed to answer correctly some very basic questions. I could not, for
the life of me, fathom how a bar candidate could describe the Trust
Fund Doctrine in Corporation Law as the amount of money
deposited in the bank, which the beneficiary may withdraw only
when he reaches the age of majority. The worst answer, however,
which I had the misfortune to come across, equated Trust Receipt to
a popular contraceptive for men. If it was meant as a joke, it was not
funny.” (Experiencing the Bar A Second Time https://ca2.judiciary.gov.ph/caws-
war/)
A struggling bar candidate would try to beat around the bush by
writing non-responsive answers to the Bar question...

or worse non-sensical answers na….

basta may maisulat lang na baka hindi naman magbasa si examiner

at baka bigyan ako ng points pag nakitang mahaba sagot ko…

The pabibo ones will try to wow the Bar examiner by invoking latin
terms/phrases or citing article number, section number, GR number
of the case, etc..

nothing wrong with it AS LONG AS IT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT

The best ones, however, knows the psychology of the Bar examiner –
8,000++ booklets ba naman checheck-an niya,
Dapat siguro ang sagot ko ay direct and concise, and
ang booklet dapat malinis and walang erasures, and
most importantly may legal basis lahat ng sagot…
Para hindi siya ma badtrip at ma good mood siya pag mag grade
sa akin..

So kaya nga ako nandito…

Para sa iyo…
Para tulungan ka…

Tama?

As for me, I help Bar candidates with their problem in

constructing Bar answers through optimized training
programs…

So look…

In Lesson #1 of this workshop we’ve already busted some myths and

discovered a shortcut to answer Bar problems without being the Bar
bet of your school – saktong estudyante lang… average lang like
me…

That to succeed in the Bar, you don’t need to be the Class

Valedictorian or have a flawless grades in your Transcript of Records..

You don’t need to buy all the textbooks in the market na hindi mo
rin naman mababasa… bibliophile ba ang peg?

All of which should be as incredibly exciting for you to hear, as it was

for me when I took the Bar.

It removed a ton of things I thought I needed to do to become good

enough to sit in the Bar exams.
The best part?

Hindi ito theoryang napulot sa libro.

And if you’re the type of person who loves to see examples, there’s
gonna be a lot of those in the next lesson.

I’ll see you on the next lesson.

Rooting for you,

Atty. Aldrin a.k.a. “the coach of the no longer struggling Bar

Candidate”
 Lesson 2 of 4:

“The Boring Secret of a

Sustainable, Predictable, and
Consistent Responsive Bar Exam
Answer…”

From : Atty. Aldrin

Pasig City, Metro Manila

Kamusta, my dear Bar candidate?

In Lesson #1 of this workshop we’ve already busted some myths and
discovered a shortcut to answer Bar problems without being the Bar
bet of your school – saktong estudyante lang… average lang like
me…

In this lesson however, we continue our adventure by showing you

the PROCESS behind the curtain that enabled me and the others to
pass the Bar exam…

You ready?

Let’s rock!

Let me introduce to you the ALE method.

The ALE method is a simple 3-step process of creating consistency,

sustainability, and predictability to your Responsive Bar exam
answers.

In a nutshell, my future lawyer, this is what it looks like…

ATTACK >> LAW >> ELUCIDATE

>> Attack the question posed.

>> identify the Legal issue and/or the applicable Law and
Jurisprudence

>> Elucidate your answer

Simple lang, ano?

Merong mga nuances for each step that we will explain it in detail
sa later lessons…

….pero i-explain ko na how it works in a nutshell

Say the Bar Question goes like this…

Q: The complaint filed before the Regional Trial Court of Manila states
two (2) causes of action, one for recission of contract and the other for
the recovery of One Hundred Thousand Pesos (PI00.000.00), both of
which arose out of the same transaction.

Is the joinder of the two (2) causes of action proper? Explain. (1996
Remedial Law Bar Question)

Now, confronted with the problem, ano ang dapat gawin?

Attack the question posed.
Atakihin mo ng direcho yung tanong

Sa example natin, eto yung: Is the joinder of the two (2) causes of
action proper? Explain.

How do you do this on a consistent and predictable basis?

ALWAYS read the question at the bottom.

This will give you a key insight towards the direction your answer
should be based upon.

This will likewise give you a key insight that will help you in the
identification of the legal issues and applicable law and/or
jurisprudence.

REMEMBER, any answer na hindi akma sa tanong will hinder your

chances of obtaining the maximum credit…

SOMETIMES, reading the question at the bottom alone would

enable you to answer the Bar question even without reading the facts…
identify the Legal issue and/or
the applicable Law and
Jurisprudence
Using the question at the bottom…

…spot the legal issues raised by the Bar problem

Read the facts and then underline the relevant ones

In order to resolve the problem…

…recall the applicable law and jurisprudence

In our example, the applicable rule is this:

Rule 2 Section 5. Joinder of causes of action. — A party may in one pleading

assert, in the alternative or otherwise, as many causes of action as he may have
against an opposing party, subject to the following conditions:

(a) The party joining the causes of action shall comply with the rules on joinder of
parties;

(b) The joinder shall not include special civil actions or actions governed by
special rules;
(c) Where the causes of action are between the same parties but pertain to
different venues or jurisdictions, the joinder may be allowed in the Regional Trial
Court provided one of the causes of action falls within the jurisdiction of said
court and the venue lies therein; and

(d) Where the claims in all the causes action are principally for recovery of
money, the aggregate amount claimed shall be the test of jurisdiction.

Elucidate your answer

Begin your answer by stating precisely that:

● Yes, the joinder of the two (2) causes of action is proper; or

● No, the joinder of the two (2) causes of action is not proper.
Notice that I reiterated the bottom of the problem i.e.,

● Yes, the joinder of the two (2) causes of action is proper; or

● No, the joinder of the two (2) causes of action is not proper.
st
This will be the 1 paragraph of your answer…

What if you’re unsure of your answer? Should you say that…

… “It depends” “The answer must be qualified” ?

Well, you should not.

Dito papasok yung PREDICTABILITY.

Free your mind from the stress and uncertainty of whether you should
qualify your answer – i.e., you should NOT

How could it be uncertain when you’re the one who decide whether
your answer is YES or NO?

How would you be stressed when your only goal is to apply the ALE
method and nothing else?

Simplify your life.

Remember, you have less than 10 minutes to finish a question…

…and that already includes reading the problem and actually writing
your answer

…in other words, time is NOT on your side

Remember this…

….Qualifying your answer will UNNECESSSARILY bind you to add

facts to the problem… which is a NO-NO in the Bar
…Qualifying your answer will UNNECESSARILY require you to
defend both positions

…Qualifying your answer will UNNECESSARILY necessitate you to

add rules because as you’re writing – you’re brainstorming – and as
you brainstorm – you unwittingly find out that meron pang ibang
batas na pwedeng applicable dito

So the bottomline is this: hwag mong pahirapan sarili mo…

Don’t confuse yourself.

Have a definite position (Yes/No) and defend it with all your might.

Do not qualify your answer. It’s a waste of time.

You see, your only role as a Bar examinee is to apply the elements of
the law to the given state of facts.

Kapag kulang yung elements ng law doon sa facts…

…eh ‘di the law DOES NOT APPLY.

nd
The 2 paragraph of your answer should state a brief but
comprehensive statement of the law and/or jurisprudence that you
previously identified in step number 2.
What do I mean by brief but comprehensive?

Your elucidation of the applicable law and/or jurisprudence must

include the key words and phrases

NOT the entire provision…

…But only the key words and phrases

Dito papasok yung SUSTAINABILITY.

In such a way na you will have a sustainable game plan.

“Ang game plan ko lang is to make sure that the key

words and phrases are incorporated in my answers.
That way masusustain ko yung sarili ko in a 4 hour
exam…”

nd
In our example, your 2 paragraph must include…

Where the causes of action are between the same parties but pertain to
different venues or jurisdictions, the joinder may be allowed in the
RTC provided one falls within the RTC’s jurisdiction and the venue lies
therein
Wag mo nang isulat ang buong Regional Trial Court!

RTC na lang, besh!

Sayang oras eh.

Again, brief but comprehensive.

rd
The 3 paragraph of your answer should contain the application of the
law and/or jurisprudence previously identified

“Attorney, kailangan ba laging may 3rd paragraph?

Sobrang dami kasing tanong at baka hindi ko matapos
yung exam sa sobrang haba!”

No.

Kapag masyadong mahaba ang exam like the 2018 Bar, you can
rd
dispense with the 3 paragraph..

…especially kung maraming subquestions for every item

Just move on to the next.

Remember na kalaban natin ang oras dito.

In a 20 item exam…

With two examiners for every subject...

Dapat tapos ka na sa Part 1 by 10 am for the Morning exam…

And at least nasa Part 2 ka na by 4 pm for the Afternoon exam…

Use the ALE method and simplify your process in Answering

Bar Questions

In this way, you position your answer in a way that helps your Bar
examiner correct it in an easier fashion.

Now…

Doesn’t it feel good knowing that the power to change your life is in
YOUR hands?

…That by the stroke of YOUR pen in the Bar Exam booklet, you can
alter your destiny and the destiny of other people once you become a
full-pledged Attorney?

Now, I do understand na mejo mahirap if this is your first time getting

exposed to these concepts…
“Attorney, parang ang hirap i-apply nung mga sinabi
mo…”

Everything comes with practice, my friend.

At the end of the day, the mastery of the method we outlined here
could be gained only with the consistent application.

It is the only way to internalize the method.

“Attorney, ano pong pwedeng gawin para pag upo ko sa

Bar exam, second nature na sa akin yung method?”

Take a test..

Either take a test with yourself, or take a test with a Bar coach who will
identify the areas you need to work on and guide you...

A Bar coach is simply someone who is focused on identifying and

spotting possible areas of improvement so you can up your
chances in obtaining the maximum credit once the Bar exam time
comes.

Now, I know that having someone track and measure your

performance on a weekly basis isn’t sexy compared to reading the
latest beda red book or the latest pre-week material of your favorite
author…
And I get it.

It does not feel good na ma-criticize yung gawa mo..

But the Bar candidate who understands its importance gets to thrive
just for the fact that you know which part of your Bar answering
process you should be improving.

In fact, if you do this right, you will be very thankful when you see your
improvement over the span of several weeks.. and of course the end
result – your ATTORNEY DOT.

That’s it.

Ideally, take a test once a week until the Bar…

…para ma-master mo yung process

Parang swimming ‘yan

You can read all the books on swimming the world has ever written…

…pero kapag ‘di ka tumalon sa tubig and i-apply kung anong

natutunan mo
…you will never learn

Now listen…

In Lesson #1 of this workshop we’ve already busted some myths and

discovered a shortcut to answer Bar problems without being the Bar
bet of your school – saktong estudyante lang… average lang like
me…

That to succeed in the Bar, you don’t need to be the Class

Valedictorian or have a flawless grades in your Transcript of Records..

You don’t need to buy all the textbooks in the market na hindi mo
rin naman mababasa… bibliophile ba ang peg?

In this lesson, we talked about the the not-so-secret process for

having a sustainable, predictable, and consistent responsive bar exam
answer.

Which, if you were anything like me, should remove the guesswork on
what you should be ‘improving’ in your bar exam answers.

And if you read this far, you’re probably thinking…

“Okay ‘to Attorney Aldrin. All this is good and

well, pero meron pa bang ibang diskarte kang alam in
answering Bar questions using the ALE method?”
Yes..

…and I get you if meron ka pang mga gustong malaman

Which is why on the third installment of our FREE online training,

we’ll talk about it in great detail.

For now, I just want you to have a strong foundation of what’s needed
and an overview of the entire ALE process so you have an idea of the
big picture.

I’ll see you on the next lesson.

Rooting for you,

Atty. Aldrin a.k.a. “Mr. Sustainable, Predictable and Consistent”

 Lesson 3 of 4:

“How a Simple Technique Allowed Me

To Get Maximum Points Without
Memorizing Everything…”

Plus the mindset of a successful Bar Candidate”

From : Atty. Aldrin

Pasig City, Metro Manila

So nasaan na ba tayo?

Ah… right.

In Lesson #1 of this workshop we’ve already busted some myths and

discovered a shortcut to answer Bar problems without being the Bar
bet of your school – saktong estudyante lang… average lang like
me…

In Lesson # 2, we talked about the the not-so-secret process for

having a sustainable, predictable, and consistent responsive bar exam
answer.

Which, if you were anything like me, should remove the guesswork on
what you should be ‘improving’ in your bar exam answers.

In this lesson, however, we’re going to be a little more ‘teachy’… if

ever there’s such a word.

You’ll see what I mean inside this email…

With that said…

Game ka na ba? (Kris Aquino voice…)

Game na!

Let’s rock!

.
.

“The Philippine Bar Exams is

NOT a test of which Bar
candidate has the most legal
knowledge…

Rather…

…it is a test on who can analyze

Bar problems correctly

…it is a test on who can write a

legible answer
…it is a test on who can write a
lawyer-like answer under
EXTREME time pressure”
.

.
.
The essence of this philosophy is that, to be successful in the Bar
exams, you need not accumulate as much legal knowledge as possible
during the Bar review.

All your efforts must be Bar oriented...

Rather than relying on chismis kung sino ang Bar examiner sa

ganitong subject, you must rely on a systematic approach in reviewing
for the Bar.

Read that again. Let that sink in.

As simple as that statement is, it caused a huge shift in how I did my

review.
And I’m forever grateful for that.

Remember, the Bar exam is the greatest battle of your life.

And para may maganda kang tsansang manalo…

…dapat meron kang sistema

Si Manny Pacquiao ba, makikipag boksing sa ring kapag hindi siya

nag ensayo, nag pakundisyon at nakipag sparring..

Hindi ‘di ba?

Now, the technique I will show you will be useless kung hindi mo
rin lang naman pala gagamitin…

…kung ganoon, you might as well not read on kasi sayang lang ang
oras mo – sayang lang rin yung sinulat ko – huhu

I’m not here to entertain you.

Rather, I’m here to guide you to become a member of the most

noble profession…

Now, before we go to the technique, let’s first discuss the common

types of questions that you will encounter in the Bar Exams.
In the Bar exams, you will certainly encounter objective questions…

Maraming klaseng objective questions.

Let’s enumerate for a bit.

Merong mga objective – definitions

For example,

What is the rotational scheme of appointment in the

Comelec? (2010 Political Law)

What are the de minimis benefits and how are they taxed?
(2015 Taxation)

Meron din namang objective – distinctions

For example,

Distinguish civil and natural obligations. (2015 Civil Law)

Distinguish between an accomplice and a conspirator (2007

Criminal Law)
At meron din namang objective – enumerations

For example,

What are the three phases of the “Battered Woman

Syndrome?” (2010 Criminal Law)

What evidence of identity does the 2004 Rules on Notarial

Practice require before a notary public can officially affix his
notarial seal and sign a document presented by an
individual whom the notary public does not personally
know? (2007 Legal and Judicial Ethics)

Now, what to do with these types of questions?

Simple…

…watch out for guide words such as distinguish, decide, define,

contrast, compare, and argue

…make sure to correctly recall the concept involved

…use the questionnaire as your scratch and quickly scribble yung mga
naisip mong key words and phrases (para sure na masulat sa
booklet)

…manage your time wisely kasi for a 2% question, I suggest na up to 5

minutes mo lang siya sasagutan – MAX!

Otherwise, baka maubos ang oras mo.

Sa mga objective questions…

…wala, kailangan mo talagang magkabisa ng mga basic definitions

and distinctions

…study, study and study some more especially yung mga common na
itinatanong

….you’ll never go wrong with studying and preparing some more

arsenal – coz the Bar exams is WAR!!!

…wag kang uupo sa Bar nang wala kang dalang bala, kakatayin ka
ng buhay ng Bar Examiner pag nagkataon

Now, onto the strategy I’m talking about…

…Expand when you are sure of your answer

…Contract when you are unsure..

What do I mean by this?

For example, you were asked:

What are the requisites for a legal right of way? (Civil Law)

If you are sure of your answer, EXPAND:

According to established laws and jurisprudence, the following are the

requisites for a legal right of way:
1. The property is surrounded by estate of others and there is no
adequate outlet to a public highway;

2. It must be established at the point least prejudicial to the servient

estate and insofar as consistent with this rule, where the distance from
the dominant estate to a public highway may be the shortest;

3. There must be payment of the proper indemnity; and

4. The isolation should not be due to the proprietor’s own acts.

Now, if you are unsure of your answer and hindi mo kabisado,

CONTRACT:

According to established laws and jurisprudence, the following are the

requisites for a legal right of way: The property is surrounded by estate
of others and there is no adequate outlet to a public highway, it must
be established at the point least prejudicial to the servient estate and
insofar as consistent with this rule, where the distance from the
dominant estate to a public highway may be the shortest, and the
isolation should not be due to the proprietor’s own acts.
So…

kumpleto ba?

alin ang naiba?

meron bang walang requisite?

Kung marami kang time, mapapansin mo na wala yung

requirement na: there must be payment of the proper indemnity…

I highly doubt if the examiner will be nitty gritty on the details like this
question..

More or less, as long as makita niya yung pinaka essential elements

na hinahanap ng mata niya…

…ifufull credit ka na niya sa sagot mo

Remember, walong libong booklet ang mamarka-han ng iisang tao.

This is not cheating because you are not repeating an item…

Now, onto the mindset of a successful Bar Candidate.

Start mentally seeing yourself as a successful Bar Candidate.

And as such you will never ever ever ever allow yourself to prepare less
than you should…

In less hours than you should…

In less quality than you should…

And less frequently than you should.

Because to do that is to breach your responsibility to yourself, to your

dreams, and to your family.
If you know, with certainty, that doing everything within your power
to adequately prepare for the Bar gonna produce an additional 5 or
6 or 10 or even 15 % in your Bar rating, then studying and
preparing in a lesser way or not doing it when you don’t feel like it is
going to be a disservice to yourself and your family.

Powerful, isn’t it?

The essence of this philosophy is that you’re not going to wait for
the feeling of motivation before you start studying, and preparing
yourself for the Bar Exams.

”I’m going to study and prepare

more than what is necessary for
the Bar Exams…

And I’m not gonna wait for

motivation to kick in before I
study and prepare.”
Because of this…

I experimented with different ways of implementing this newly found

principle.

And one method that ‘worked’ for me was what I called

“Momentum towards the Bar.”

‘What’s that’ you say?

It’s about answering Bar Questions EVERY SINGLE DAY and

assessing myself on how I performed, and adjusted accordingly.

By the time NovemBar comes (different now because of the

pandemic)...

I am already adequately prepared on how to attack Bar problems using

the ALE METHOD.

Hasang hasa na, kumbaga.

Another benefit is that by the time pre-week comes, I already have an

intimate knowledge of the nuances of the Bar…

…I already know the usual suspects - topics, questions and concepts

commonly asked in the Bar and how to attack them…
And attack them ferociously, I did.

Notice how it changes the whole Bar preparation?

How the focus isn’t about accumulating as much in-depth legal

knowledge as possible, attending special lectures of patok bar
reviewers, nor buying the latest patok book na ginawa nung rumored
examiner?

Because before I can study topics and concepts…

…I need to find out how to attack them

…I need to practice on a regular basis

…I need to improve, day in and day out

And each time I answer at least 20 Bar Questions, I get at least one or
two (sometimes I cannot answer anything correctly. lol!) questions
giving me more insight to as to how the Bar exam works.

But here’s where it gets interesting…

Although, I wasn’t actively studying the patter of the Bar exams, the
regular testing has directly resulted in a nuanced
understanding of the common Bar topics…
…Such that kapag may lecture na, masasabi mo sa sarili mo na

“Itong topic na to, importante, natanong to noong

2007, 2009 and 2014… baka matanong ulit ngayong
2019!”

Let that sink in.

No purchase of any new material.

No attending of regurgitated lectures.

There was literally nothing…

Yet it resulted to a nuanced understanding of the common Bar topics.

And quickly, this “Momentum towards the Bar” became my new

secret weapon.

It completely changed how I studied and prepared for the Bar.

It became method of practicing the ALE METHOD even before the

scheduled mock bar exams in the review center.

And that right there is a Bar-focused process.

All I really did is answer previous Bar questions and prepared
fact-pattern problems of recent jurisprudence …

Simple.

Straightforward.

After that, I’ll then have my mentor assess how I performed…

…then adjusted accordingly

…whether it is a matter of form (how to answer) or substance (what to

answer)

The secret is in the daily improvement…

Now make sure you didn’t miss this bit…

“Doing these activities even without motivation”

The moment you start acting like you need motivation before you
study, things will go south – that’s a guarantee.

Well, the beautiful thing about having a Bar-centric approach is that it

is never about you.
So whenever I cannot answer a question, I simply study the topic
thoroughly para next time kuha mo na.

Because it’s your chance to improve or tweak your way of answer and
your knowledge…

And in many cases…

The feedback of your Bar coach or mentor is what makes

your Bar answers stronger and much more irresistible to
your Bar examiner.

So why does this process work so well?

That’s because of the activities I did way BEFORE I was asked and
tasked to do it: that is – being asked that question in a mock bar or in
the actual Bar itself.

The aim of Bar preparation is to understand the key concepts and

topics so well that whatever it is na matanong sa’yo, more or less
masasagot mo using that key concepts and topics…

Which is exactly what I was doing.

We try to understand how the Bar exam works that the solution
we suggested fits perfectly like a missing piece to the jigsaw puzzle.
And it’s the exact same process, that I tell my mentees to this day

Now, let me ask you…

How much would your life change if you know you can pass the Bar,
take your oath and sign the Roll next year?

Would it allow you to live a life of freedom?

Would your family appreciate that extra time you get to spend with the
kids?

Would it make your family proud?

How much stress would it take off your shoulders knowing…

you could protect your family from anyone who wants to take
advantage of them,

pursue the administration of justice,

and have a good and financially worthwhile career at the same time?

I have to be honest though, all this didn’t happen instantly.

It was more a gradual realization born from lots of ‘failed tests.’

But pushing through it was worth it.

I came out of the other side armed with a whole different way of
operating — a very different set of beliefs that were taught in law
school.

And it suddenly became crystal clear, to me at least, that by operating

with a Bar-centric approach, I would (eventually) achieve the results I
desire.

With this new mindset, I knew that the sky is the limit…

So listen…

In Lesson #1 of this workshop we’ve already busted some myths and

discovered a shortcut to answer Bar problems without being the Bar
bet of your school – saktong estudyante lang… average lang like
me…

In Lesson # 2, we talked about the the not-so-secret process for

having a sustainable, predictable, and consistent responsive bar exam
answer.

In this lesson, we learned a whole new way of approaching the Bar

question when you are sure and unsure of your answer..
We also tackled the Bar-centric approach and how it enables you to
understand the nuances of the Bar exam.

Apply this to what you’re doing now and you’ll begin to see (and feel)
an immediate shift towards how you deal with Bar problems…

…of course using the ALE METHOD

It’s been a jammed packed lesson so make sure you review your notes
and take action immediately.

I’ll see you on the next lesson which para sa akin ay ang pinaka
simple pero hands down pinaka impactful sa aking Bar Exams
out of all the lessons combined.

Rooting for you,

Atty. Aldrin a.k.a. “suma-sideline sa pagiging mindset coach”

 Lesson 4 of 4:

“The Fundamental Rule for Crafting

Outstanding Bar Exam Answers and
Making Your Bar Examiner Happy In
Correcting Your Booklet…”

Plus HOW the Bar Exams breaks the spirit of most

people and WHAT to do about it”
From : Atty. Aldrin

Pasig City, Metro Manila

Now brace yourself because this is gonna be a meaty and info-packed

lesson.

Kung meron kang ginagawa, I suggest na you put it down muna and
focus on the lesson at hand.

By now, siguro alam mo na that I was a Bar flunker…

I flunked the Bar the first time I took it…

...and pass the next time I did.

But boy, I'm proud and wear it like a badge of honor!

...I am a proud Bar flunker because it made me realize that failing the
Bar exam is NOT everything

...I am a proud Bar flunker because I proved that failing the Bar exam
is a setback - a set up for a GREAT COMEBACK
...I am a proud Bar flunker because I proved that failing the Bar is not
a death sentence.

Now, most people would be quick to say that I'm smart and probably…

...minalas lang 'nong unang take ko.

But that is besides the point.

My 2 year Bar exam Journey does not tell the whole story.

Because any Bar candidate could have had the same results I had (if
not better) - if only they knew the Bar strategy

What is this Bar strategy I'm talking about?

First, let's start things off by telling you two things EXCEPTIONAL Bar
candidates do…

Things that if combined with the first lesson, can explode your
potential in such a short amount of time.

Here they are in no particular order…

1. Increasing the Perceived Value of your answer

2. Exhaustive preparation.

And I'm telling you this because of one simple fact…

That no matter how many Bar exam tactics you apply in answering Bar
questions…

Your answer will not be appreciated by the examiner unless you give
valuable and responsive answers.

So the purpose of this final lesson is to help you craft outstanding Bar
exam answers earning you the examiner's appreciation.

Which for me is the holy grail of the Bar exam.

Let's start with the first one…

Increasing the Perceived Value of your

answer
It only makes sense that in order to succeed in the Bar exam, you have
to provide good and valuable answers.

But don't worry, this isn't as hard as it sounds.

Because one thing I've noticed during my Bar journey is that the focus
to QUALITY of your answers and not QUANTITY is the most
important thing in the world.

In fact, kung nakapag QUALITY answer ka…

Papalagan mo 'yung Bar exams kahit na 2-3 sentences lang

sagot mo.

Does this mean na tsamba lang pumasa dahil mahigsi ka lang

sumagot?

Nope.

And the difference between my first take in the Bar…

...and my second take is this

I have learned to increase the quality of my answers in such a way na

kahit mahigsi lang ang sagot…
...maappreciate ni Examiner

You see, whoever your Bar examiner is, their goal is to either PASS you
or FAIL you…

So if you're a Bar candidate…

You can make the Bar answer very wordy.

You can add fancy, long and needless words.

You can write kilometric answers.

You can add hifalutin words na ikaw lang nakakaintindi.

You can add case titles and case numbers (GR #s)

You can even put all latin maxims na minemorize mo noong

Statutory Construction.
 Yet the only reason the examiner would appreciate
your answer in the first place is if your answer
appears to be one written by a first year lawyer.

In other words, yung sagot mo ay dapat mukhang isinulat ng isang

abugado.

Legalese ang atake.

(legalese but not to the point na super complicated na 'yung sinasabi

mo)

K.I.S.S.

Keep It Simple, Student!

Use basic english but be precise with the legal terms.

Remember, it is YOU who are trying to convince the other…

...YOU are in effect trying to convince the examiner that you have what
it takes to succeed in the practice of law
...Eh kung kausap mo lang 'yung kapitbahay mo, pwede mong
banggitin ang batas in your own words

BUT NOT IN THE BAR EXAMS

Think like a lawyer.

Analyze like a lawyer.

Answer like a lawyer.

Anyway, how do you do that?

One thing you can do is to use prepared lines…

For example…

...in the second paragraph of your answer (forming your LAW - in the
ALE Method)

And you want to state a rule, you can say that:

● It is an elementary rule in International Law that...

 ● Well settled is the rule in this jurisdiction that...

● The established rule is that...

● According to the well-entrenched doctrine of…

And if you want to state a jurisprudential doctrine, you can say that:

● In a catena of cases, the Supreme Court held that..

● In several notable decisions of the Supreme Court...

● In a long line of cases, the Highest Court of the land have

consistently ruled that...

● According to the High Court,...

And if you want to state a legal provision, you can say that…

● Under the Law on Obligations,...

 ● Squarely in point is the Family Code of the Philippines which
provides that...

● A cursory reading of the provisions of the Revised Penal Code...

Words and Sentences

Another tip I would give you is to write w i d e r and b igger

words and sentences…

...avoid answering with too small words and sentences kasi

Ang mga examiner usually not so young na…

So, malalabo na ang mata

So kung pahirapan mo sila sa pagbabasa ng sagot mo,

although tama ang sagot

What do you think will be the result?

Alam mo na!

Bottomline is this…

...hindi nila pagtyatyagaang basahin 'yan!

On correcting mistakes

sa pag kokorek ng mga maling sagot:

draw a line across doon sa word or words na mali mo.

hwag na hwag ka magpipilas ng papel

hwag na hwag mo rin isusulat ang pangalan mo sa booklet

lalong hwag na hwag mag lalagay ng unnecessary marks na

pwedeng maging sanhi na pagkilala sa iyo o sa school mo

On starting a new page

This is just a general tip, so be sure to carefully read the instruction

page upon receipt of the Bar exam questionnaire in your Bar exam
Generally speaking…

...You are to start writing your answer for the first question on the
page of the Bar exam booklet where the words 𝗕𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚
𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗔𝗚𝗘 appears

...In case of an item with multiple questions - you are to answer them
continuously on the same page

HOWEVER, I strongly suggest na sa next page mo na lang ilagay for

better outlining of the answers and who knows baka pag review mo
may mali pala so madaling i adjust ang sagot mo if ever

On numbering

Some Bar candidates are careless

Ang question ay Roman Numeral (I.a, I.b II., III.a., III.b., IV., etc)
tapos sasagutin ng Arabic (1.a., 1.b., 2., 3.a., 3.b., etc)...

...Or Arabic ang question tapos sasagutin ng Roman Numeral

Make sure to follow the numbering your Bar examiner used.

Help him help you.

Okay?

On indentions and number of words

Generally speaking, use an indention of 1/2 each on the right side and
1 inch on the left side.

Also, write 5 to 6 words per line.

This way, mapipilitan kang lakihan 'yung sulat mo.

Exhaustive BAR preparation

Another tip I’ll give you is to take mock bar exams

This will practice your so-called quick recall of the

principles and matters you previously studied.

If you cannot take mock bar exams in a review center…

…you can take an exam in the comfort of your own home
prepared by a Bar coach numbering 20-30 questions with
subquestions and have him correct your work and give you
VALUABLE FEEDBACK

I know na at this point in time, sobrang busy mo na…

… you might feel that taking an exam is a waste of time

… you might feel na mas importante na magbasa nang

magbasa

… you might feel that it is UNNECESSARY altogether

Consider however that the objective of this mock tests are

three fold:

1. To test the level of your knowledge AT THIS POINT IN

TIME

2. To anticipate possible Bar questions and Bar topics

3. To prepare HOW to answer Bar Questions in 10 minutes or
less

4. To prepare HOW to answer objective Questions

5. To prepare HOW to answer essay Questions

Remember, it is never enough to know the answers – you

must be able to articulate them like a lawyer under intense
time pressure in the Bar examination room.

The mock tests will physically, emotionally and

psychologically prepare you to take the Real Bar Exams

And in addition to that, you will be able to test your

handwriting, your sentence construction and your English
grammar… and obtain valuable feedback from that..

So I advise you to have a Bar exam coach and mentor…

Personally, I believe this is what separates the Successful Bar

Candidate from the struggling, which is why I purposely made
it the last lesson.
HOW the Bar Exams breaks the
spirit of most people and WHAT to
do about it

Let’s face it…

… the Bar exams breaks the hearts of the majority of the

people who takes it (and their families)

At some point, yung iba, they put their head down and just
accept defeat

Sumusuko – losing the will to fight.

Naniniwala sila na the Bar Exam dragon is too great an

enemy to slay…

…that the odds are against them or simply not for them ang
legal profession

Makikita mo sa mga mata nila na nagsipagsuko na…

and sometimes, they become haters of those na patuloy na
lumalaban…

If you ever feel the impulse to hate on those who try to make
their way to the legal profession, please stop

Stop right here.

Hindi mo alam kung anong pinagdadaanan nila

Kung anong dahilan nila sa pangarap nila

At kung ano ang magiging kapalaran nila sa hinaharap

The truth is…

…passing the Philippine Bar exams is an extraordinary feat

You have to study your ass off.

kung uupo ka sa Bar exam – wala ka nang buhay
kungdi ang magreview – and this my friend is still
an understatement!

You have to be unreasonable in your study sessions.

Lagariin mo ang aral!

Maniwala ka na you will be able to defy the odds.

In every 10 examinees, only 2 become lawyers.

Isa ka doon sa dalawa na yon.

Kailangan maniwala ka na kaya mo

Believe in yourself

More than your professors believe in you

More than your family believes in you

More than I believe in you

Coz’ you have the capacity to become a great lawyer of this

nation.

Passing the Bar is always a possibility.

But it only goes to those who study unreasonably.

So my advice to you is this:

Study like it’s the last day of

the Bar Review.

So that’s it!

In Lesson #1 of this workshop we’ve already busted some myths and

discovered a shortcut to answer Bar problems without being the Bar
bet of your school – saktong estudyante lang… average lang like
me…
In Lesson # 2, we talked about the the not-so-secret process for
having a sustainable, predictable, and consistent responsive bar exam
answer.

In Lesson # 3, we learned a whole new way of approaching the Bar

question when you are sure and unsure of your answer..

Lesson #4 is a culmination of all that and more.

You’ve now reached

the tipping point.
The four lessons you’ve just consumed is already enough for you to
internalize what it actually takes to be a successful Bar candidate.

I’ve given you enough real-world insights and info to go and do this
yourself.
If that’s you, awesome. I wish you the best of luck.

And so far, everything has been fixed in your favor, just like what I
teach…

And if you’d like to know more about the substantive part of

your Bar examination answer…

Just click this link below…

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mACtOdwoFUgHCw1
8DOHr9CP1V-1MmUf0Utr8yD16YOU/edit?usp=sharing

To your Bar Exam Success,

Atty. Aldrin