Bar-passing beauty queens bare plans as lawyers
Former Bb. Pilipinas Grand International and Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia Pacific International Eva Patalinjug/EVA PATALINJUG FACEBOOK PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines–Reigning Reina Internacional del Chocolate Jerelleen Rodriguez, former Binibining Pilipinas and Mutya ng Pilipinas winner Eva Patalinjug, and 2020 Miss Philippines Air Patrixia Santos have added another jewel to their crowns as they successfully hurdled the 2022 Bar examinations.
The three ladies were among the 3,992 examinees who passed from the 9,183 who took the examination in November last year. The difficult test only yielded a 43.47 percent passing rate.
Cebuana beauty Patalinjug had already passed a regulatory examination before when she earned her license as a registered nurse. She was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas Asia Pacific International in 2014, and received the Bb. Pilipinas Grand International title in 2018.
“The journey was never easy, but never doubted God, that in the end everything will be worthwhile,” she told the Inquirer in an online interview.
“[I’m] just so overwhelmed right now but very grateful. Blood, sweat and tears brought me to where I am now. Just so thankful for the people who helped me, especially God,” added Patalinjug, who is now also a mother and was appointed as national director of the Hiyas ng Pilipinas beauty pageant.
Reigning Reina Internacional del Chocolate Jerelleen Rodriguez/JERELLEEN RODRIGUEZ FACEBOOK PHOTO
For her part, Rodriguez said, “I am overfilled with joy and relief on the results! The six-month wait was worth it. It’s the best title I could ever win.”
In March last year, while still enrolled at the University of the Philippines College of Law, Rodriguez captured the Reina Internacional del Chocolate crown at the 2022 Reina Internacional del Cacao pageant held in Panama. She is the first Filipino woman to receive the title.
She said the law firm she is currently working for allows her to explore all legal fields. “I’m pretty sure what kind of lawyer I will be, though, one who has integrity and practices the law in the grand manner.”
Patalinjug declared: “I just want to work on my law career and be the best I can be. Always doing what I do best, never giving up and never resting on my laurels.”
Miss Philippines Air Patrixia Santos/PATRIXIA SHIRLEY SANTOS FACEBOOK PHOTO
Rodriguez, Patalinjug, and Santos now join an elite roster of beauty queens who became lawyers, among them 2001 Bb. Pilipinas Universe and 2001 Miss Tourism World-Asia Zorayda Ruth Andam and 2019 Bb. Pilipinas International Patricia Magtanong. /ra
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