THE Supreme Court en banc yesterday reduced the coverage and shortened the duration of the 2020/2021 Bar exams amid the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the country, particularly in the National Capital Region, and the damages left by typhoon Odette.
“Per the Court’s en banc’s January 4, 2022 resolution, the examinations with the revised coverage will be held on January 23, 2022, Sunday, and January 25, 2022, Tuesday,” the SC said.
The 2020/2021 Bar examinations is scheduled to be held on January 16, 23 and 30 and February 6, 2022. The 2020 and 2021 exams have been postponed due to restrictions imposed by the government to control the spread of the coronavirus.
The high court said it was constrained to cut short the duration and trim down the coverage of the Bar exams following the escalation of the NCR to Alert Level 3 due to a wave of COVID-19 infections, and in response to the appeal of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City chapter and various law deans in the provinces to suspend the examination in areas affected by typhoon Odette.
“These changes seek to meet the demand for new lawyers amid the disasters plaguing the country. The Philippines has produced no new lawyers since the pandemic. But while the Bar Examinations may no longer be postponed, it can be held in a way that is more humane. With these changes, the Court strikes that balance,” the SC said.
The en banc said it made the decision upon the recommendation of Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, who is the chairman of the Bar Examinations Committee.
The SC said the eight covered subjects will be consolidated to four sets of exams, namely the law pertaining to the State and its relationship with its citizens (formerly political law, labor law and taxation), criminal law, the law pertaining to private personal and commercial relations (formerly civil law and commercial law) and procedures and professional ethics (formerly remedial law, legal ethics and practical exercises).
The SC also “strongly advised” examinees to undergo self-quarantine starting January 9, 2022, or at least two weeks before the examinations.
Each examinee, according to the SC, will undergo an antigen test at least 48 hours before the exams.
“Those who will test positive under the antigen test shall immediately undergo a confirmatory RT-PCR test. Those who will test positive both under the antigen and RT-PCR test will not be admitted to their testing sites,” it said.
The upcoming examinations will be the first to be computerized and be conducted in at least 29 testing sites nationwide.
