spot_img
29 C
Philippines
Thursday, March 28, 2024

From P4.5k to P10k, SC clarifies 122% hike in Bar fees

- Advertisement -

The Supreme Court has defended its decision to impose more than 100 percent increase in the Bar application fees from P4,500 to P10,000 on each aspiring lawyer who will take the 2020/21 Bar Examinations on four Sundays of November this year.

Appearing before the House Committee on Appropriations, Court Administrator Midas Marquez said the 2020/2021 Bar examination fees have been adjusted for the aspiring lawyers who would take the country’s most-gruelling tests this  November.

Marquez, who presented the proposed budget of the judiciary for 2022, stressed that the decision to increase the fees necessitated by the increase in operational expenses for the conduct of the Bar exams that will now be held in at least 20 regional venues throughout the country.

According to Marquez, the SC will have to pay the license fees for computer programs that would maintain the integrity of the examination despite being conducted on-line.

- Advertisement -

Marquez made the remark in response to a lawmaker who sought explanation for the 100 percent increase in the Bar exams fees being collected from applicants.

The Court Administrator said the next Bar will be held on-line.

Besides, he stressed that examination takers will be saving more in expenses because regional examination sites will be established.

“Before this 2021 examination, our Bar exams are held here in Manila.

The last time was at UST and La Salle. Now, we will have at least 20 sites nationwide,” Marquez said.

The SC official explained that examinees will no longer have to go to Manila and be burdened with additional expenses of renting temporary lodging during the four successive Sundays of tests.

“If you’re from Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro or Davao, you don’t need to fly to Metro Manila and spend so much,” Marquez said.

“You can stay in your respective regions because we will have regional sites for the bar examinations,” he added.

The Bar examinations will held as scheduled on four Sundays of November 7, 14, 21 and 28 after the High Court cancelled the 2020 Bar due to the public health dangers brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The judiciary launched the Bar Personalized Logging Unified System (Bar PLUS) website to facilitate application for the 2020/2021 Bar examinations.

Applicants were asked to pay application fee via over-the-counter cash deposit in the Landbank of the Philippines branches nationwide.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles