Skip to main content »
Igorotage

Roy Lawagan: Igorot Security Guard now a Lawyer

Roy Lawagan, an Igorot from Sagada, Mountain Province, who works as a security guard, has just become a lawyer.

 |  2 min read

Roy Lawagan, an Igorot from Sagada, Mountain Province, who works as a security guard, has just passed the 2015 bar exams RICHARD BALONGLONG (edited)

Roy Lawagan, an Igorot from Sagada, Mountain Province, has just become an inspiration for many after successfully completing his education and passing the bar exams - while balancing his law studies at night and his day job as a security guard for the Commission on Audit office in La Trinidad, Benguet, along with being a head of the family at the same time.

The Sagada-born is one of the 1,731 new lawyers who passed the said exam and now he only counts the days until May 15, when he can quit his job and start working full time as a lawyer.

Turning 27 years old on May 11, Lawagan intends to pass the bar as an early gift for himself. Lawagan said things have not been easy for him since his wife was pregnant in his first year as a law student. He really had to work hard so that he could fund his education and also support his family at the same time.

Things did not go easy for Lawagan as he failed his first bar exam in 2014 despite enrolling in a test center. For the 2015 exam, he decided to study on his own.

All the hard work eventually paid off as he was named one of the 1,731 new lawyers who successfully passed the 2015 bar exams. Now also a father of a lovely 4-year-old girl.

"Being a lawyer is my father's dream," Lawagan said. According to the new lawyer, he was the fourth of nine children and while some of his sisters also graduated in political science, they eventually ended up not practicing law in the long run.

The Igorot security guard-turned lawyer completed his criminology at the University of Baguio and later finished his law studies at Saint Louis University in the City of Pines.

After a quiet celebration with his family, he returned to work at the office of the Commission on Audit in La Trinidad, Benguet province, wearing a security guard uniform until May 15.

Soon after, he will accept his cousin's offer to fulfill his dream and finally work for a firm based in Manila. "I'm going there to gain experience," Lawagan said.


Sharing is caring, kailian!

We do hope you find something great in this story. If you find this helpful, please do share it with the people you care about.


Igorotage is a platform for people to share their thoughts and ideas. The views expressed on Igorotage are the opinions of the individual users, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Igorotage.

Comments

Sign in to share your thoughts. No account yet?

What to learn next?

You might also like to read more related articles filed under Awe-Inspiring Stories — or jump to a random article!

Awe-Inspiring Stories Surprise me

Loisa Faith Soliba: Igorota passed CPA Licensure Exam despite Physical Pain

Loisa Faith Soliba, Igorota passed one of the hardest exams, the CPA Licensure Exam (CPALE), despite suffering from physical pain.

Oct 28, 2021 · 5 min read

Daisy Bucad-Eng: Igorot OFW inherits PHP50 million from Late Employer

Daisy Bucad-Eng, an Igorota domestic helper in Hong Kong inherits more than PHP 50 million from her late employer.

Oct 12, 2021 · 4 min read

Athena Ainu Macli-ing Malecdan: Igorot ranks 10th in Nurse Licensure Examination

Athena Ainu Macli-ing Malecdan, an Igorot graduate of Saint Louis University, ranks 10th in the July 2021 Nurse Licensure Examination.

Jul 16, 2021 · 3 min read

Rylina Olga Mae Laureta Balisong: Igorot ranks 9th in Nurse Licensure Examination

Rylina Olga Mae Laureta Balisong, an Igorot graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, ranks 9th in the July 2021 Nurse Licensure Examination.

Jul 16, 2021 · 3 min read

Igorota Lawyer Wins PRC Outstanding Professional of the Year in Social Work

Mary Inglay Capuyan-Fokno, an Igorota lawyer, has been named Outstanding Professional of the Year in Social Work by the PRC.

Nov 9 · 2 min read

Igorot ranks 10th in Radiologic Technologist Licensure Exam

Kyron Dangsi Lumasi, Igorot from Sagada, Mountain Province, ranks 10th in the December 2021 Radiologic Technologist Licensure Examination.

Jan 4, 2022 · 1 min read

Igorot vs Cordilleran: What's the Difference (and Why It Matters)

Igorot and Cordilleran are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct cultural meanings. Learn about the differences between these labels.

Nov 10 · 14 min read

Panag-apoy in Sagada: A Sacred Tradition of Remembering the Dead

Panag-apoy in Sagada is a traditional Kankanaey practice of lighting bonfires in cemeteries to remember and honor the dead.

Oct 26 · 6 min read

Gibran Langbayan: The First Igorot Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt

Meet Gibran Langbayan, the first Igorot BJJ Black Belt champion and Lions Nation MMA trainer, and witness his profound impact on Philippine MMA.

Oct 23 · 4 min read

Pastor Rocky: The White Man Who Speaks Fluent Igorot Language

Meet Pastor Rocky, the Missionary White Man who speaks fluent Kankana-ey, an Igorot language.

Oct 23 · 7 min read