Lex Marista

21/08/2026

𝐀 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐧

Despite a heavy downpour, the Notre Dame of Marbel University (NDMU) College of Law successfully hosted its annual Acquaintance Party on August 15, 2026, at the Verdant Lagoon in the City of Koronadal, South Cotabato. This year’s theme, "Midnight Sun: A Sunset Soirée," transformed the venue with vibrant colors and hues reminiscent of a dusk beach party. Students, faculty, and distinguished guests arrived in style, fully embracing the tropical resort-chic dress code.

Supreme Student Council President Mr. Mark Peter S. Hallegado set a festive tone in his opening remarks, urging students to set aside their codals, books, and cases for the night to simply enjoy themselves. Following this, University President Bro. Paterno S. Corpuz, FMS, Ed.D., expressed his pride in the College of Law’s consistent track record of excellence. He warmly congratulated the incoming first-year Juris Doctor (JD) students for SY 2026–2027 and emphasized the Marist core value of Love of Work, reminding everyone that true achievement stems from persistence and dedication.

Adding to the inspirational messages, NDMU Board of Trustees member Engr. Orlando P. Batallones advised the future lawyers to maintain a healthy balance between their rigorous studies and their personal lives. He challenged the students to make a meaningful difference once they enter the legal profession. Furthermore, he underscored the importance of adaptability, noting that the most successful individuals are often those who can easily navigate change.

The evening's festivities continued with a tropical buffet dinner complemented by a live acoustic performance from Lex Musika, showcasing the impressive musical talents of NDMU's future lawyers. Emcees kept the energy high with spontaneous icebreaker challenges. Shortly after, the crowd gathered for "Prima Facie: The Resort Chic Runway," where student representatives strutted down the center aisle exuding vibrant tropical style and effortless confidence. The venue echoed with enthusiastic cheers and laughter from students, professors, and faculty alike.

The camaraderie and unity of the NDMU law community were on full display during the various games and activities that served as the event's highlights. Excitement peaked during the Bar Operations raffle draws, with all proceeds dedicated to supporting the university's candidates for the upcoming September 2026 Bar Examinations.

The soirée concluded with closing remarks from College of Law Dean Atty. Paisal D. Tanjili, LL.M., who expressed sincere gratitude to everyone who made the gathering memorable, giving special recognition to the upcoming Bar examinees in attendance. He underscored the party's true purpose: building a strong, unified community.

“This is an occasion where we draw support from each other and understand the beauty of collaborating—where despite our different fields and orientations, we find the ‘Why’ that brought us to law school,” Dean Tanjili shared.

In the end, the Acquaintance Party served as a reminder that legal education is not solely about years of deep-diving into codal provisions and insurmountable mountains of cases. Amid the rigors of the "jealous mistress" that is the law school, students can, in fact, take a moment to pause, celebrate, and find serenity in the company of their peers.

Written by: Benny Buenaflor and Anna Marie Patonongon
Photos by: Tatiana Lee Mangilit, Basil John Dayaguit, Marc Failon, and Justine Lumingkit

20/08/2026

18/08/2026

𝐍𝐃𝐌𝐔 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐔𝐏-𝐍𝐂𝐏𝐀𝐆 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

Three professors from the Notre Dame of Marbel University (NDMU) College of Law – Atty. Paisal D. Tanjili, LL.M, Atty. Rene M. Barrion and Atty. Angelisa L. Razo, REB, LL.M – recently advanced their policy-drafting expertise by attending the Certificate Course on Effective Technical Writing for Public Policymaking. The intensive three-day program was held at the University of the Philippines Diliman from July 28 to 30, 2026.

Organized by the UP-NCPAG Center for Policy and Executive Development (CPED) for government and policy personnel, the course focused on strengthening participants' abilities to draft clear and well-structured documents. The curriculum went beyond foundational writing, featuring specialized modules on translating dense research into actionable recommendations and properly harnessing digital tools, including the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in policymaking.

Their completion of this course underscores a vital commitment to continuous learning that directly elevates the academic experience within the NDMU Law community. By integrating these modern, real-world formulation strategies into their instruction, these professors are actively equipping the next generation of legal professionals and public servants with the clarity, precision, and ethical grounding necessary to drive meaningful reform.

(Photo credits to the rightful owner)

16/08/2026

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒, 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐃! 👏🏻

The NDMU Law community congratulates 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐀. 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐚, 𝐋𝐋.𝐌, 𝐌𝐏𝐀 on his recent designation as the first 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 of the Supreme Court (SC) Judicial Integrity Office (JIO).

Atty. Mosquera brings a wealth of experience to this pioneering role, having served as Deputy Ombudsman and as the former Dean of our very own NDMU College of Law. His appointment is a massive step forward in strengthening the integrity and accountability of our judicial system.

We wish you the very best in leading the JIO, Dean Gerard! ✨

Full details on his appointment: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/former-deputy-ombudsman-gerard-mosquera-appointed-as-scs-first-judicial-integrity-officer/

Photo courtesy of Supreme Court of the Philippines

16/08/2026

𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐫, 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬! ⚖️🐴

We are pleased to announce the official list of winners of the 𝐍𝐃𝐌𝐔 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐎𝐩𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, held during the College of Law Acquaintance Party on August 15, 2026.

This raffle is a fund-raising activity for the 2026 Bar Candidates of the NDMU College of Law, with proceeds dedicated to the Bar Operations for our Bar Candidates as they take on the September 2026 Bar Examinations.

Thank you to those who purchased a ticket and supported this cause!

🏆 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒, 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒! 🎊

15/08/2026

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚 𝐏. 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐨, 𝐌𝐋𝐒!! 🔰

The NDMU Law Community extends its warmest congratulations to Mr. Baldevieso on his remarkable academic milestone. His scholarly work, “Abandoning Reserva Troncal: A Doctrinal Critique of Article 891 of the Civil Code,” will be officially featured in the Adamson Law Journal – a premier scholarly publication dedicated to advancing legal discourse through peer-reviewed articles and in-depth critical analyses of Philippine jurisprudence.

Your dedication to the study of law is a true inspiration to your fellow aspiring lawyers. The entire NDMU Law community is proud of you! 💚

Layout by: Justine Lumingkit

14/08/2026

𝐍𝐃𝐌𝐔 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐏 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Law student practitioners (LSPs) from the Notre Dame of Marbel University (NDMU) College of Law presented their final outputs during the Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP) Culmination held on August 12, 2026. The event highlighted the students' application of legal principles through active partnerships with government offices and legal aid institutions.

CLEP Director Atty. Rene M. Barrion opened the event, reaffirming NDMU’s commitment to experiential learning and thanking the institutional partners, PAO Koronadal and DILG Region XII, for anchoring the practical fieldwork.

Partnering with DILG Region XII, Level 1 LSPs tackled community-level access to justice. In response to the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentive Awards (LTIA) findings, the students developed actionable solutions to strengthen the Katarungang Pambarangay (KP) system. Their outputs included comprehensive training designs, informative brochures, instructional video presentations, updated procedural modules, and the rollout of the innovative KTRACK monitoring system.

Level 2 LSPs shared their demanding yet rewarding stints at PAO Koronadal, navigating everything from client interviews to pleading preparation. Reflecting on this frontline exposure, Dinn Glea Marie Caday noted that "𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳."

The program also highlighted specialized external training that reached far beyond local borders. Paul Vincent Corneta presented takeaways from the UNIDROIT Summer School in Shanghai, reminding the crowd that only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. Meanwhile, Cid Rick Nicolo B. Jamias, ECE, MLS recounted his rigorous Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) Legal Internship. Praised as an "ideal intern," Jamias described litigation as a chess game that challenges lawyers to balance client interests with constitutional fidelity.

During the Open Forum, Marist law alumni and supervising attorneys Atty. Venus Lyka E. Lomocso, CPA, and Atty. Paul Randy P. Gumanao, RCh, expressed pride in the college's expanding footprint in local legal aid. Atty. Ryan J. Alair, DILG Sultan Kudarat Outcome Manager, delivered the afternoon's most powerful reminder: "𝙇𝙖𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙜𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙜𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣... 𝙖𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙜𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙖, 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙮𝙖, 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙥𝙮𝙤, 𝙠𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙜𝙮𝙖𝙣 𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙖."

Dean Atty. Paisal D. Tanjili, LL.M, officially closed the ceremony, acknowledging the remarkable real-world impact born from the collaboration among students, supervising lawyers, faculty, and partner agencies.

As this year’s CLEP concludes, the lessons these student practitioners learned extend beyond academic credit. The hours spent navigating local barangay justice, listening to clients' struggles, and engaging with national legal institutions have instilled a sense of purpose that they will carry forward into their legal careers. The lasting impact of this program is found in the advocates they are becoming today – future lawyers who understand that the law is a living instrument meant to protect, serve, and empower the people.

Photos by: Marc Failon, Justine Lumingkit, CJA

09/08/2026

𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝐉𝐔𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐄𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄! 🎂✨

Thank you for your eloquence, warmth, and dedication to our improvement. Your thoughtful guidance and genuine care make all the difference as we navigate the challenges of law school. Wishing you a beautiful day filled with the same joy you generously share with your students! 🥰

Layout by: Justine Lumingkit