Isa si Primrose Pacenio-Kong sa mga pumasa sa February 2022 bar exams.
Ang bagong abogada ay tubong Carcar City, Cebu. Nagtapos siya ng abogasya sa University of San Jose-Recoletos noong 2020.
Dito rin siya nagtapos ng kanyang pre-law sa kursong Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Marketing noong 2016 bilang cum laude.
Ani Primrose, “Working while studying. Graduated cum laude. Humbled and proud.”
High school pa lang daw ay pangarap na niya na maging isang abogada.
Sa panayam sa kanya ng Cebu Daily News Life noong May 8, sinabi ni Primrose na hindi agad niya naipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral ng law dahil kinailangan niyang kumita para sa pamilya.
Pagbabahagi niya, “I was 25 years old then when I graduated from college. I stopped schooling in the past years due to financial deprivation.
“I worked to support my family and financed my siblings with their studies.”
NAGTRABAHO BILANG ACOUSTIC SINGER
Habang ginampanan niya ang kanyang tungkulin sa pamilya, naisipan ni Primrose na tuparin na ang kanyang pangarap.
“It crossed my mind that, ‘Why not enter law school?’ I thought I could cope.”
Nang mag-enrol siya sa law school, nagtrabaho siya bilang acoustic singer sa mga hotel sa Cebu.
Pagbabahagi niya, “Sayang naman ang gigs sa acoustic band if I will refuse. Pandagdag sa gastos, pambili ng law books.”
Aminado siyang mahirap maging working student, and, at the same time, ay nagpapaaral ng mga kapatid.
“I travel every day from Carcar to Cebu City and vice versa. I am usually home by at least 1 a.m.”
Natutunan niya kung paano i-manage nang maayos ang kanyang oras.
“I read my books, assigned cases for tomorrow’s recitations, and make case digests.
“I usually slept in the morning and woke up at noon. Then I prepare myself to travel to school.”
SUPORTADO NG NAGING MISTER ANG KANYANG PANGARAP
Noong 2018 ay ikinasal si Primrose sa kanyang long-time boyfriend.
Pinayagan siya nitong ipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral ng law, pero kinailangang mag-adjust ni Primrose sa buhay may asawa.
Aniya, “Of course, as a freshman from married life, I have to adjust also with my schedule that I also need to fulfill my wife duties, helping my husband with the business.”
Nang maka-graduate, hindi agad siya nakakuha ng bar exam noong November 2020 at maging noong November 2021 dahil sa pandemic at panganganak niya.
Pero para kay Primrose, okey na rin ang nangyari.
“God’s timing is perfect and so I realized that maybe things happened for a reason.
"Wala nadayon ang November 2020 exams because I got pregnant and delivered the baby via a caesarian section in March 2021.
“I needed to physically recover, and I was exclusively nursing and taking care of my baby.
“I thought the postponement of November 2021 Bar exams was maybe a blessing because, to be honest, December 2021 na ako naka-review gyud until the final date of the Bar came.”
SETTING UP PRIORITIES
Pinagsabay ni Primrose ang pagre-review at pagtupad sa kanyang responsibilidad bilang maybahay at nanay.
Aniya, “Before I decided to take the Bar exams, I already set my priorities.
"I really wanted to be a lawyer, but, at the same time, I didn’t want to set aside my responsibility as a wife and a mother.”
Todong multi-tasking ang ginawa niya, at sa kabila ng hectic schedule ay nagagawa pa niyang i-breastfeed ang kanyang baby.
Kaya sulit na sulit ang lahat ng hirap ni Primrose nang makapasa siya sa bar, “I tell myself it was indeed the best bar ever.
"As Justice Leonen said during our oath-taking ceremony, ‘You [we, new lawyers] went through difficulties which no other lawyer in this country had gone through to take their Bar examination, not even during the world war, yet you persevere, yet you conquered.’”
KEEP THE FAITH, MOMMIES
Payo niya sa iba pang working mom na nagpipilit makatapos ng pag-aaral, “Keep the faith. Always believe that God hears your cries at night, at times when you feel like you’re alone, tired from being a mother, and, at the same time, from striving to be a better version of yourself."
Dapat din aniyang maniwala sa sariling kakayahan at lumabas sa comfort zone.
Sabi pa ni Primrose, “Know that being married or being a mother doesn’t end there.
"Know your strengths and weaknesses. Improve what you have and can do. Accept what you cannot. You should also speak up your mind.”
Sa kasalukuyan, nagtatrabaho si Primrose bilang legal staff sa mayor's office ng Municipality of Barili.