And finally… never say die

Ibarra Mariano, a retired Filipino police officer, is the oldest of around 8,700 people sitting the bar in the Philippines this year.

Mr Mariano graduated from Philippine Law School in 1967 but didn’t take the bar exam until 1995 - and subsequently failed.

However, he’s more optimistic about his chances now, ABS-CBN News reports.

Mr Mariano said: “I wanted to become a lawyer before I die. That’s why I took the interest to take it now … I can still write, I can still walk around alone.

“I am praying to God that I’ll be given good health to finish the bar examination so that, I hope, I become a lawyer by next year.”