“’Lawyering o ‘yung buhay mo?’ sabi ko, ‘Doc, parehas. Hindi puwedeng isa lang.'”
This 34-year-old woman from Batangas went viral on social media over her emotional reaction after passing the first-ever digitalized Bar exams.
Irene Joy Mendoza-Ulep said that becoming a lawyer was not an easy journey for her.
In 2014, she was diagnosed with stage 3C germ cell cancer.
“Laging masama ‘yung pakiramdam ko, ang dami kong nararamdaman na masakit. Sabi ng nanay ko pacheck up tayo. Sabi nung doctor ‘mam may cyst po siya kailangan po natin siyang operahan,’” she said.
“Tinanong ako nung doctor, nagiisa ka bang anak? Sabi ko hindi po, may kapatid po ako. Are you married? Hindi pa po. Sabi niya magpapatest tayo, I think you have cancer. Sabi ko sige po Dra. Pero hindi pa nagsisink in sakin that time,” she added.
When Irene had undergone ultrasound, she found out that she had a 13cm cyst. “Nung inoperahan siya kasing laki siya ng watermelon.”
She added that when she started undergoing chemotherapies after her operation, that’s when she realized how bad her situation is.
She had to juggle her time for law school while undergoing treatments.
“Pumapasok ako no’n, alam ‘yan ng mga professors ko sa Centro Escolar—naka-wig ako, ang putla-putla ko. Minsan hindi ako pumapasok sa school, kailangan pumunta ng asawa ko para sabihin na “mam I’m sorry hindi po siya makakapag recite kasi masama ang pakiramdam niya kasi nag chemotherapy siya,’” she recalled.
Irene battled cancer four times while in law school. She also transferred from one school to another due to health reasons.
After graduating in 2016, she initially wanted to take the Bar exam but her doctors did not give her clearance.
But Irene decided to enroll in a Bar review center along with her husband. “Sabi ng nanay ko hindi pa tapos ang journey ko, sabi niya mag enroll ka sa review center. Nag enroll ako, kasama ko ‘yung asawa ko, seryoso siyang nagrereview ako nandun lang. Para lang malaman ko ‘yung pakiramdam. Kasi sabi ng nanay ko paano kapag nawala ka sa mundo tapos di mo man alng naramdaman mag review. Review-reviewhan lang tayo,” she shared.
She took her first Bar exam in 2019. But unfortunately, she failed to pass.
In the same year, her mother passed away. She could not forget the last words of her mom, who inspired her to continue pursuing her dreams.
“Magiging attorney ka.” ‘Yun ang sabi niya sa ‘kin. Mag-aral ka lang. Laging ‘yun ‘yung nagfla-flashback sa akin, na sinasabi niya na, “Papasa ka, may awa ang Diyos. Tuloy lang,” she recalled.
Irene was declared cancer-free in 2018. She then decided to dedicate her time reviewing for the 2020 Bar exams.
Then the pandemic happened. The Bar exams were cancelled for two years.
“Nag-aaral lang ako ng four hours a day, five hours a day, makikinig ng lecture, then ‘pag alam ko nang napre-pressure ako, nai-stress ako, napapagod ako, tumitigil na ako. No’ng sinabi na may Bar exams na, this is it. This is God’s perfect time,” Irene said.
In 2022, Irene is finally a lawyer. She was among the 8,241 examinees who passed the Bar exams.
“Tinawagan ko siya, na ‘Tatay, abogado na ako.’ Tuwang-tuwa siya, umiiyak siya. Nandito na ‘ko, cancer survivor and now a lawyer. Thank you, Lord,” she said.
Irene said that throughout her bumpy journey to success, she did not even think twice about giving up in life. “Hindi ako sumuko kasi alam ko na ang pagsuko ang pinakahuli sa gusto ni Lord. Wala sa vocabulary ko talaga na susuko ako. Never, as in never.”
Irene is thankful to everyone who supported her along the way, especially her parents and husband.
She plans to work as a government lawyer and teach law students.
“Lagi ‘tong sinasabi ng asawa ko: “The road to success is always under construction.” Basta hold on ka lang sa pananampalataya mo,” she stressed.
