royal panalo Better late than never: Influencer-dancer passes 2024 Bar exams

MANILA, Philippines — As rain poured in the Supreme Court courtyard on Friday, December 13, tears of joy streamed down the face of dance instructor Les Paul Sañez when he saw his name on the LED screen.

Overcome with emotion, Sañez shared an umbrella with his girlfriend, Jho, celebrating the moment together as he became one of the 3,962 aspirants who passed the Bar Examinations.

“Noong nakita ko na 'yung pangalan ko. Kumpleto naman tulog ko, pero nanghina 'yung tuhod ko,” Sañez told Philstar.com. 

(When I saw my name, I had gotten enough sleep, but my knees still went weak.)

“I invite you all to join the Philippines in a friendly and neighborly conversation so we can begin a parliamentary dialogue that I hope will also shine a light on the harassment and intimidation that my country, and some of our other neighbors, are receiving at increasingly frequent rates,” Ejercito said.

He is one of the 139 examinees from the University of Santo Tomas who passed the Bar exams for admission to the practice of law.

Left behind

In an interview with Philstar.com, Sañez said that he started law school later than his friends, who are now lawyers.

He was supposed to enter law school in 2015 but took a different path—pursuing a career in dance instead.

Sañez said he previously performed on television shows and now teaches dance at a studio in Quezon City.

He began law school in 2019 during the COVID-19 pandemic but admitted feeling left behind.

slotsmash

“Nandun 'yung feeling ko parang I feel like left behind na ako kasi wala na 'yung mga dati kong kasama. Pero okay din kasi parang sila 'yung naggaguide sa akin,” Sañez said. 

(I had that feeling of being left behind because my former companions were no longer around. But it's okay since it feels like they're guiding me.)

“Parang naramdaman ko na maybe 'yun talaga yung plano for me,” he added. 

(It felt like maybe that was really the plan for me.)

When asked about his most memorable moment in law school, he recalled the time he had to dance in front of the class for a “ceasefire in class recitations.”

“Tapos ayan, 'yung parang mga ceasefire. Magpapa-ceasefire ka. So, ayun, sasayaw ako kasi dancer ako eh…sasayaw ako sa classroom,” he said. 

(Then there were moments like ceasefires. You’d call for a ceasefire. So, there, I would dance because I’m a dancerroyal panalo... I would dance in the classroom.)

As a dancer-influencer, Sañez has over 103 thousand followers on Tiktok.

Motivation

When asked what kept him going during law school, he said he wanted to marry his girlfriend of eight years.

“The most practical answer is to really find a job…we’re very vocal about it, gusto ko na siya (his girlfriend) pakasalan,” he said. 

(The most practical answer is to really find a job... we’re very vocal about it, I want to marry her [his girlfriend].)

“I’m an artist, I’m a dancer, it’s not the most stable, income, profession,...syempre, iniimagine ko if 'yun solely 'yung way of earning, hindi kami makakapag-sustain ng life,” he added. 

(I’m an artist, I’m a dancer, and it’s not the most stable profession in terms of income... Of course, I imagine that if that’s the sole way of earning, we wouldn’t be able to sustain a life together.)

Related Stories 3,962 pass 2024 Bar exams

• royal panalo
• better
• Late
• Than
• Never