10,483 take Bar exams on Day 1; females outnumber males

MANILA – A total of 10,483 examinees showed up for the first day of the 2024 Bar Examinations on Sunday, slightly higher than the 10,400 who took the first day of the Bar in 2023, according to a Supreme Court (SC) news release.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario Lopez, chairperson of the 2024 Bar Examinations Committee, shared the data during a press conference at the start of the yearly qualifying exams for Philippine lawyers.

A total of 12,246 applicants originally applied to take the exams but some did not graduate or encountered unforeseen circumstances that led to withdrawals, the SC said.

Lopez said this year's group of examinees include 5,234 new applicants, 4,060 previous takers, and 1,189 refreshers.

Females outnumber male examinees at a ratio of 6,108 to 4,375.

There are also 155 senior citizens and 313 examinees with special needs.

The youngest examinee is 23 years old, while the oldest is 78.

The breakdown of the number of examinees in the 13 local testing centers nationwide:

National Capital Region: University of the Philippines- Diliman in Quezon City, 1,023; University of Santo Tomas in Sampaloc, Manila, 785; San Beda University in San Miguel, Manila, 1,455; Manila Adventist College in Pasay City 438; University of the Philippines-Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, 739; and San Beda College Alabang in Muntinlupa City 579;

Luzon: Saint Louis University in Baguio City, 1,158; and University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City, Camarines Sur, 527;

Visayas: University of San Jose-Recoletos, Basak Campus in Cebu City, 1,055; Central Philippine University in Jaro, Iloilo City, 582; and Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation in Tacloban City, 461;

Minadanao: Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City, 598; and Ateneo de Davao University in Bangkal, Davao City, 1,081.

Liquor bans and road closures were implemented around the testing centers.

In Manila, the covered period are 2 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the actual exam dates only.

A total of 2,316 personnel are deployed to all local testing centers.

Just like in the previous three Bar exams, the format is digitalized and regionalized.

Lopez said this year's questions are neither difficult nor easy.

"Eksakto lang (Just right)," he said.

He presented the questions for the first exam on Political Law and Public International Law during the traditional breakfast meeting with the deans of the country's law schools at St. Maur's Hall of San Beda College Alabang.

The breakfast was attended by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, members of the Supreme Court and deans from all over the country.

Lopez expressed his gratitude to San Beda College Alabang, the Bar national headquarters for the second year in a row.

The next exam dates are Sept. 11 and 15.

On Day 1, the morning exam was on Political Law and Public International Law, while the exam in the afternoon was on Commercial and Taxation Laws.

On Sept. 11, the morning examination will be on Civil Law while the afternoon examination will be on Labor Law and Social Legislations.

On Sept. 15, the exam will cover Criminal Law in the morning and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises in the afternoon.

The previous Bar had 3,812 passers out of 10,387 examinees, or a 36.77 percent passing rate. Ephraim Porciuncula Bie of the University of Santo Tomas obtained the highest mark of 89.2625 percent.

In 2022, a total of 3,992 out of 9,183 hurdled the Bar or a higher passing rate of 43.47 percent.

Students from the University of the Philippines obtained the five highest grades, with Czar Matthew Gerard Torres placing first with 88.80 percent.

The release of the results for this year is tentatively scheduled early December, while the oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys will be on Jan. 24, 2025.

All announcements regarding the 2024 Bar Examinations may be viewed on its microsite at the Supreme Court website sc.judiciary.gov.ph/bar-2024. (PNA)