Dean Festin Law

18/09/2026

A Month-Long Birthday Celebration Comes to a Close 🎂

What was supposed to be a simple birthday celebration somehow became a month-long celebration—partly because our schedules were affected by the long suspension of classes, the hectic preparations for the Bar Examinations, and the Bar Exams themselves.

But perhaps the delay made the culmination even more meaningful.

My heartfelt thanks to our faculty members, administrative officials, staff, friends, guests, and students ( PUP, DLSU and UMAK) who took time from their busy schedules to celebrate with me. Thank you for the greetings, prayers, food, laughter, pictures, and, most of all, your presence.

Looking at these photos, I am reminded that birthdays are not simply about adding another year to our lives. They are also occasions to appreciate the people God has allowed us to meet, work with, teach, mentor, and journey with through the years.

After all the pressure and busyness of the past several weeks, it was refreshing simply to be together—to laugh, pose for the camera, enjoy the food, and celebrate friendship and fellowship.

So this finally brings my month-long birthday celebration to a close. Not exactly month-long by design 😄, but certainly a month filled with blessings, friendship, and wonderful memories.

Maraming, maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Move on na.

To God be all the glory! 🙏🎂❤️

14/09/2026

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE 2026 CRIMINAL LAW BAR EXAMINATION

Having gone through the 2026 Criminal Law Bar questions, one thing immediately stood out to me: hindi lang mahirap ang exam dahil mahirap ang Criminal Law. Mahirap ito because many of the questions were deceptively familiar.

Parang alam mo na agad ang sagot.

You read the facts, recognize the situation, and a familiar doctrine immediately comes to mind. Pero may isang maliit na detail sa problem na puwedeng magbago ng buong legal analysis.

That, to me, was the real challenge of the examination.

The questions tested more than memory of codal provisions and jurisprudence. They tested whether the examinee could slow down, identify the precise elements of the offense, distinguish similar doctrines, recognize exceptions, and resist the temptation to answer based merely on the overall appearance of the facts.

A recurring pattern seemed to be:

Familiar facts → Familiar doctrine → One critical detail → Reconsider your first answer.

Marami sa concepts ay very familiar sa isang Criminal Law student—recidivism, reckless imprudence, prescription, penalties, intent to gain, robbery, special complex crimes, and offenses under special laws.

Pero minsan, iyong familiarity mismo ang trap.

Kapag may property na kinuha through force, ang unang papasok sa isip mo: Robbery.

But wait.

Were all the elements present?

Kapag naman isang negligent act ang nagresulta sa several consequences, madaling isipin: Article 48—complex crime.

But again:

Is Article 48 really the governing doctrine?

And that, for me, is one important lesson from this year’s Criminal Law examination:

Do not answer the crime suggested by the story. Answer the crime established by the elements.

Ganoon din sa defenses, modifying circumstances, penalties, prescription, and special laws.

One word. One date. One purpose. One sequence of events. One seemingly insignificant fact.

Any one of them can change your answer.

So for future Bar candidates, perhaps the lesson is not simply:

“Study more.”

It is also:

Read more carefully.
Classify before concluding.
Test every element.
Look for the exception.❤️

And bago ka magsulat ng final answer, ask yourself:

“Bakit kaya nilagay ng examiner ang fact na ito? May significance ba ito?”

Because sometimes, the most important fact in a Bar question is the one that looks least important.

And perhaps that was one of the signatures of the 2026 Criminal Law Bar Examination:

Hindi sapat na alam mo ang batas. Kailangan marunong kang makakita ng trap.

Here’s one with that “one little fact changes everything” feel:

QUESTION:

While arguing with Ben, Carlo angrily grabbed Ben’s cellphone and threw it into a nearby river, saying, “Para hindi mo na ako ma-video!”

The cellphone was never recovered.

What crime, if any, did Carlo commit? Explain.

Trap:
Careful. The obvious answer may not be the correct one. 😄

14/09/2026

SALUBONG. ❤️⚖️

Last day of the Bar Exams.

After months of preparation, sleepless nights, pressure, prayers, and perseverance, our PUP Law Baristas finally walked out of the examination room—and waiting for them was their PUP Law family.

This is one of the traditions I treasure most. The Bar journey may be taken one examinee at a time, but no Barista should ever feel that he or she walks it alone.

Today, we celebrate not yet the results, but something equally important: the courage to finish.

You showed up. You fought through every question. You finished the race.

Whatever happens from here, remember that there were people outside those examination doors waiting to welcome you home.

Congratulations, Baristas! You made it to the finish line.

Now we wait. We hope. We pray. 🙏⚖️

PUP Law — one family, one journey, one dream.

12/09/2026

ONE LAST SUNDAY. FINISH STRONG. ⚖️

To all our Bar takers:

You made it through Sunday and Wednesday. Tomorrow, you enter the examination room one last time.

Konti na lang. Isang araw na lang.

Forget the answers you can no longer change. Tapos na iyon. Give your very best to what is still before you.

In every answer, give your best in form and substance. Understand the question. Be responsive and direct. State your legal basis. Apply the law properly to the facts.

If a difficult question comes, huwag mataranta. Breathe, think, answer, and move forward. Don’t let one difficult question affect the rest of your exam.

You have prepared for this for years.

Bukas, tatapusin na ninyo. Nasa finish line na kayo.

Trust your preparation. Trust yourself. Above all, trust God.

When you submit your final answer tomorrow, may you be able to say:

“Lord, I gave it my best. The rest is Yours.”

One final Sunday. Two subjects. One final push.

Finish strong, future lawyers. I am praying for you and cheering for you. 🙏⚖️

10/09/2026

PART 2- JUST A LITTLE HELP FROM A FRIEND ❤️

SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS
Bar Questions, Suggested Answers, Bar Analysis and Exam Traps

Frequently Tested Topics in the Bar Examinations

Dean Gemy Lito L. Festin
PUP College of Law

09/09/2026

JUST A LITTLE HELP FROM A FRIEND🙏

A 2026 Pre-Week Tidbits on Criminal Law
Doctrines, Applications, and Latest Jurisprudence

Featuring Selected Cases Penned by
Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan

by Dean Gemy Lito L. Festin

08/09/2026

A Prayer for All Baristas — Second Day of the Bar

Heavenly Father,

Today, we lift up to You all our Baristas as they face the second day of the Bar Examinations.

Some may still be carrying the weight of the first day. Some are anxious, tired, or wondering whether they did enough. Lord, quiet their fears and lighten their burdens. Remind them that yesterday is finished, and today comes with new grace.

Give them clear and calm minds, wisdom, focus, good memory, and endurance. As they read every question, help them recognize the issues, remember the law, organize their thoughts, and answer with clarity and confidence.

When a difficult question comes, let faith speak louder than fear.

To those taking the Bar again, and to those carrying struggles known only to You, give renewed strength. Let no past disappointment determine how they face today.

May every Barista hear these words:

You have come this far.
Do not be afraid.
Stay calm.
Keep going.
One question at a time.
God is with you.

Steady their hands, sharpen their minds, and sustain them until the final answer is written.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” — Philippians 4:13

May Your peace guard their hearts and minds today.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

⚖️🙏 God bless all our Baristas. Fight on!

06/09/2026

For PUP College of Law, supporting our Bar candidates is itself a journey.

Like our barristas, our Bar Operations volunteers and members of the PUP Law family have also had their share of sleepless nights—working behind the scenes, preparing, assisting, praying, encouraging, and making sure that our candidates know they are never alone in this journey.

Because at PUP Law, we are one family.

Abogado ng Bayan.
Sa Bar ay lumalaban.

But tonight, allow me to extend this message beyond the PUP Law family—to every Bar taker who walked out of the examination room today carrying questions, doubts, hopes, and dreams.

The first day of the Bar Examinations is done.

Now, forget about it.

Whatever you feel about the exams you took today—whether you think you did well, made mistakes, forgot something you knew, or found some questions unexpectedly difficult—move on.

You cannot change what you wrote today. But you can still prepare for what you will write on Wednesday.

So tell your mind. Tell your heart:

The battle is not over.

Do not allow one difficult subject, one uncertain answer, or one tough examination day to define your entire Bar journey.

One tough subject is not an indication of your final Bar result.

The Bar is not won or lost in one question, one subject, or one day. There is still another day. There are still more questions to answer. There is still a battle to fight.

Tonight, give yourself permission to rest.

Then regroup. Pray. Review what you can. And when Wednesday comes, walk into that examination room with renewed courage.

You have already come too far to surrender to doubt now.

To our PUP barristas, your PUP Law family continues to stand with you.

And to every Bar taker, from every law school in the country—we are rooting for you, too. Your deans fully support you.

May you all find the strength to finish what you started.

Never give up.

Fight. Fight. Fight.

Para sa pangarap.
Para sa pamilya.
Para sa bayan.

Abogado ng Bayan. Sa Bar ay lumalaban.

05/09/2026

Keep the faith in this journey.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝘁, 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿.🙏

The PUP Bar Operations Committee, together with the Christians on Demand at Law Page, invites all Baristas, their families, and everyone who wishes to pray with us to our 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 on 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟓, 𝟖, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟏𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, from 𝟲𝗣𝗠 𝐨𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 via Zoom.

Let us gather in prayer for our Baristas as they prepare for the Bar examinations. May they be granted strength, clarity, and peace in the days ahead.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97904204653?pwd=ktYcXbCH2QYxTxqLBODTb2q8hyOc1s.1

Together toward the Bar! ❤

01/09/2026

PUP Criminal Law Review students: “Advance Happy Birthday, Dean!”

Dean: “Thank you! Now, spread out. Nothing on your table —you’ll have a long quiz!” 🎂📝

A birthday celebration, law-school style.😉