A TRIBUNE hat trick at the Bar are (from left) Nico Antonio, actor turned attorney and son of Atty. Joji Alonso; Jose Topacio III, son of Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, senior partner of Topacio Law Office; and Enrique Martinez, son of Atty. Dindo Martinez
Photographs courtesy of Nico Antonio, Dindo Martinez and Ferdinand Topacio
NICO Antonio, actor turned attorney and son of Atty. Joji Alonso;
Photograph courtesy of Nico Antonio
ENRIQUE Martinez, son of Atty. Dindo Martinez
Photograph courtesy of Dindo Martinez
JOSE Topacio III, son of Atty. Ferdinand Topacio
Photograph courtesy of Ferdinand Topacio
“The victories of our children outshine our own.” With such a thought, three children of prominent legal practitioners and DAILY TRIBUNE columnists made their parents proud. They embarked on the legal profession after being sworn in as newly licensed lawyers at the Philippine Arena on 6 February, marking the culmination of years of rigorous legal training and examination.
Inside the vast halls of the arena, the oath-taking of the 2025 Bar passers unfolded as more than a formal rite.
For three newly licensed lawyers, it was also a moment where family history, discipline and personal resolve quietly converged.
‘It was an amalgamation of so many emotions: pride, triumph, and yes, some fear, because this is no longer an academic exercise, but real life, with consequences for the decisions you make as a lawyer.’
Each of them carries a familiar surname in legal circles. Each is also the child of a DAILY TRIBUNE columnist and seasoned legal practitioner. Yet the moment they raised their right hand marked not inheritance, but arrival.
Among those who took their oath were Nico Antonio, an actor and the son of DAILY TRIBUNE columnist Atty. Joji Alonso.
He holds a degree in European Studies from Ateneo de Manila University and earned his law degree from San Sebastian College-Recoletos de Manila.
News of Antonio’s admission to the Bar was previously shared by his production company, Quantum Films, in a social media post that referenced his onscreen portrayal of a lawyer in the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Unmarry.
Antonio also appeared in several notable Filipino films, including Balota and Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 3, balancing an acting career alongside his legal education.
“I am now a lawyer,” Nico said in a simple celebration of his triumph on social media.
Nico’s mother was more expressive in celebrating the moment.
“I must admit that I didn’t think this day would come. While Nico graduated from law school in 2014, he never took the bar exams because he was working on one tv or movie project to the next. Until he was just too busy with work that it wasn’t the priority anymore, as he had a family to provide for,” she shared on Instagram.
It was three years ago when Nico expressed his intent to take the bar exam.
She recalled, “About three years ago, he asked for my blessing to take the bar. I could see the fire in him to overcome one last battle. He enrolled in review classes while working on a soap and film projects simultaneously.”
“Shortly after the first two days of the bar exams, he had to shoot for UnMarry because we needed to finish the film in time for the deadline.”
Joji relayed how she supported her son throughout the process. “I volunteered to be part of his bar operations with his younger brother, Paeng. I stayed at the hotel where he stayed to bring him whatever last-minute tips we could find. And then, I would drive him to the venue while his wife Angel would fetch him with their 2 sons, when the exams were over,” she recalled.
Roster of fresh lawyers
Also sworn in was Enrique Martinez, son of DAILY TRIBUNE columnist Atty. Dindo Martinez and a graduate of the DLSU Tañada-Diokno School of Law.
Completing the group is Jose Topacio III, the elder son of DAILY TRIBUNE columnist Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, the senior partner of Topacio Law Office. A graduate of San Beda University, where he took up law and served as president of the Human Rights Society, he has joined the firm as its newest associate. He is a grandson and namesake of the firm’s founder, which was established in 1962.
The young Topacio believes that every Bar candidate has moments when they doubt their ability to pass. “You just have to trust yourself, your abilities, and with the continued encouragement of family and friends, you just have to make that leap of faith,” he added.
Jose Topacio said the last two weeks before the actual examinations were the most challenging. “That was when the four years of law school and the five months of review were all starting to gel, and you get a broader overview of what you know and what you still don’t,” he said.
In reflecting on his admission to the Bar, he called the moment both humbling and exhilarating. “It was an amalgamation of so many emotions: pride, triumph, and yes, some fear, because this is no longer an academic exercise, but real life, with consequences for the decisions you make as a lawyer. But then there’s hope that if you well and truly perform the demands of your oath, you can make a difference and blaze your own trail,” Topacio said.
It didn’t come easy
For Enrique Martinez, the oath-taking capped years of perseverance and discipline in preparing for one of the country’s most demanding professional examinations.
“For me, you really have to be around people who are also taking the Bar. It makes it less overwhelming to see that everyone is at the same pace or going through the same struggle. It’s good to have a five- to 10-minute break to chat and share stories,” he said.
Watching the process unfold, Dindo Martinez described the experience as a return to his own Bar review days.
“It’s like a very nice and enjoyable movie. I know what he was going through — the tension, anxiety, and everything else. It was like watching myself reviewing for the Bar. Becoming a lawyer is not just about studying and passing the Bar. They had to be prepared for all the ups and downs, and know how to handle adversity and triumph over failure,” he pointed out.
Enrique said the emotional strain of the Bar examinations was just as demanding as the intellectual rigor.
“The hardest part was the feeling that you were never ready. Every time I read, there were a lot of things that were new to me, even until the morning of the Bar. I just kept reminding myself: I’m close to that dream. Just one last step — the Bar exam,” he said.
His journey to the Bar spanned several years, beginning in 2018, pausing for work, and resuming law school in 2021.
After the oath-taking, Enrique described the mix of excitement and responsibility that comes with entering the profession.
“It was exciting, but I also feel like I’m back to square one. As a brand-new lawyer, there’s so much I don’t know. It’s both exciting and daunting,” he said.
The 2025 Bar Examinations drew 11,420 examinees, with 5,594 passing — the highest number of successful takers in recent years.
Inscribed on the roll of attorneys, the three newly sworn lawyers begin their professional journeys while carrying forward their families’ legal legacies.
