THE first day of the 2023 Bar examination proceeded yesterday without a hitch in 14 local testing centers, including six in Metro Manila, with 10,404 individuals showing up for the test.
The Supreme Court (SC) said San Beda University in Manila had the highest number of examinees at 1,614, followed by UP Diliman with 1,066, and by Saint Louis University in Baguio City with 988.
On the other hand, the Ateneo de Davao University testing center had 948 examinees, University of San Jose-Recoletos with 926, University of Sto. Tomas with 731, San Beda College-Alabang with 722, UP-BGC campus in Taguig City with 706, University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City with 549, Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro with 530, University of San Carlos with 519, Cagayan State University in Tuguegarao City with 393, Manila Adventist College with 388, and Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation in Tacloban City with 324.
The SC had earlier said that of the 10,816 candidates taking this year’s Bar examinations, 5,821 will be taking it for the first time, while 4,970 are repeaters.
In November last, 9,183 law graduates took the 2022 Bar examinations.
The Bar exams will continue to run on September 20 and 24.
The SC said it deployed 2,571 personnel to man, monitor and ensure the smooth conduct of the examinations in all the local testing centers, including the national headquarter in San Beda College-Alabang.
SC Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, who is this year’s Bar chairperson, said deployed personnel includes court officials, judges, numerous personnel from the SC, the Court of Tax Appeals, and first and second level courts, as well as government and private lawyers.
“I am confident and hopeful that this year’s examination will proceed and conclude as smoothly as possible. Since the release of Bar Bulletin Number 1 in December of last year, the Bar Chair’s Office has been monitoring daily the feedback of Bar applicants to our every announcement to aid and provide them with all the tools they will need throughout their Bar journey,” Hernando told reporters in a brief press conference in San Beda College-Alabang where he is monitoring the conduct of the exams.
“I have said this before, and I reiterate it today: we have been listening to each of the stories freely shared by the Bar examinees. Their stories have not gone unnoticed as we incorporated them in our preparations and addressed every single petition and request,” he added.
This year’s Bar Examinations are divided into six core subjects: Political and Public International Law (15 percent), Commercial and Taxation Laws (20 percent), Civil Law (20 percent), Labor Law and Social Legislation (10 percent), Criminal Law (10 percent), and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises (25 percent).
“These core subjects were determined and approved by the Court En Banc upon thoughtful review of previous syllabi and due consideration of the latest developments in legal practice,” Hernando said, adding he personally handpicked this year’s set of 24 Bar examiners, who he added, “are all experts and authorities in their respective fields.’
Hernando said the results of the Bar exams will be released in early December this year.
“The time spent by the examinees waiting in agony for the results of the Bar exams will be cut short. My team and I are eyeing the release of the results of the 2023 Bar Examinations in early December before Christmas,” Hernando said, adding that “for the longest time, Bar Examinees have had to endure several months of agony waiting before the results are released.
Previously, Bar exam results are released during the summer session of the High Court in Baguio City.
Aside from this, Hernando also said there will be simultaneous oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys in December before Christmas day.
