The Supreme Court announced on Thursday that 11,790 law graduates are expected to take the online bar examinations slated on January 23, Sunday, and Jan. 25, Tuesday in various testing centers nationwide.
The increase was due to the postponement of the 2020 bar examinations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the decision to hold the tests simultaneously with the 2021 law graduates.
The SC decided to proceed with the country’s most grueling state examinations for aspiring lawyers, which was originally set on January 16, 23, and 30, and February 6, despite an appeal for postponement by those affected by super typhoon “Odette.”
Nonetheless, the SC magistrates decided to reduce the coverage and shorten the duration of the 2020-2021 online bar examinations.
Now, the two-day examinations—instead of four successive Sundays±will cover four comprehensive sets, unlike the traditional eight subjects.
The four sets are: 1. The Law Pertaining to the State and Its Relationship with Its Citizens (formerly Political Law, Labor Law, and Taxation Law), 2.
Criminal Law, 3. The Law Pertaining to Private Personal and Commercial Relations (formerly Civil Law and Commercial Law), and 4. Procedure andProfessional Ethics (formerly Remedial Law, Legal Ethics, and Practical Exercises).
The first two sets will be taken up on Jan. 23, while the other two sets will be on Jan. 25.
The changes have been recommended to the SC by Bar Chairperson and Associate Justice Marvic Leonen. They will apply pro hac vice (for this one time only), meaning only for the 2020-2021 bar examinations.
“These changes pro hac vice seeks 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, they can be held in a more humane way. With these changes, the Court strikes that balance,” it said.
“All examinees are strongly advised to self-quarantine starting Jan. 9, 2022, or at least two weeks before the Bar Examinations,” it added.
The SC said each examinee will undergo an antigen test within 48 hours before the first examination.
“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 test and an RT-PCR test will not be admitted to their testing sites,” the high court pointed out.