THE Legal Education Board (LEB) said it has ordered the closure of the University of Manila (UM) College of Law effective academic year 2024-2025.
Meanwhile, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna clarified that the UM is privately owned and not being run government as opposed to the Universidad de Manila (UDM) and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM).
“This decision was made after a thorough evaluation of the institution’s compliance with legal education standards and regulatory requirements,” the LEB stated in a public bulletin.
It cited UM’s “dismal” Bar examinations performance, failure to meet the prescribed curriculum and academic standards for legal education, and deficiencies in institutional facilities and resources necessary for quality legal instruction.
The panel said although the law school has already been notified about its closure order since June 5, 2024, it has received information that the school continues to admit enrolees.
“Hence, this Notice is issued to warn the public that the Legal Education Board does not recognize enrolment in the said school,” the LEB said.
The UM has yet to issue a statement following the public notice.
Meanwhile, the Universidad de Manila (UDM) College of Law clarified on social media that it is “entirely different” from UM in light of misleading posts suggesting it was also ordered closed.
“Unfortunately, some photos of UDM’s facade were mistakenly posted in several lawyers’ Facebook groups, wrongly suggesting that UDM was the law school recently ordered closed by the LEB. We would like to emphasize that the UDM College of Law is not closing and continues to operate as usual, having substantially complied with LEB requirements over the past several years,” the UDM College of Law stated in its own post.
Lacuna said the PLM and the UDM are the only two universities being run by the Manila local government where, as mayor, she chairs the boards of regents.
She said she had to make the clarification as some “unscrupulous political opponents” may exploit the controversy for their own self-aggrandizement.
The mayor said that even if the city is saddled with P7.8-billion debt left by her predecessor, Isko Moreno, her efficient fiscal management enabled the city government to subsidize the PLM to the tune of P344.155 million and P459.35 million for the UDM.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “University of Manila law school fails to meet standards, ordered shut.”