There are now 29 testing centers as five more sites have been added by the Supreme Court (SC) for the 2020-2021 online bar examinations which will be conducted on Jan. 16, 23, 30 and Feb. 6, 2022.
The additional testing centers are the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City with a maximum of 756 slots for examinees; UP in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, 436 slots; De La Salle University on Taft Avenue in Manila, 794 slots; Angeles University Foundation in Angeles City, 200 slots; and Liceo de Cagayan University in Cagayan de Oro City, 208 slots.
More than 11,000 law graduates have applied for the 2020-2021 online bar examinations.
The tremendous increase in the number of examinees was attributed to the postponement of the bar examinations in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the holding of the tests simultaneously with the 2021 examinations which were originally set for November 2021.
However, the SC reset the examinations to early 2022 “after considering the COVID-19 situation nationally and in all the testing site, as well as receiving advice from various experts….”
In 2019, a total of 7,685 law graduates took the bar examinations, 8,158 in 2018, and 6,748 in 2017.
The 24 other testing centers with their maximum available slots:
National Capital Region — Ateneo de Manila University Law School, Ateneo Professional Schools Building, 20 Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati City (maximum 269 slots); Manila Adventist College, 1975 San Juan Street, Pasay City (maximum 450 slots); University of Makati, J.P. Rizal Extension, West Rembo, Makati City (maximum 1,000 slots); Far Eastern University, Nicanor Reyes, Sampaloc, Manila (maximum 600 slots); and University of Santo Tomas, España Boulevard, Sampaloc, Manila (maximum 500 slots).
Cordillera Administrative Region — St. Louis University School of Law, A. Bonifacio Street, Baguio City (maximum 1,035 slots).
Region 1 (Ilocos Region) — St. Louis College, Carlatan, San Fernando City, La Union (maximum 1,280 slots).
Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) — Cagayan State University College of Law, Carig Campus – Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan (maximum 421 slots); St. Mary’s University College of Law, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (maximum 259 slots).
Region 4A (CALABARZON) — De La Salle University – Lipa, 1962 Pres. J.P. Laurel National Highway, Lipa City, Batangas (maximum 1,125 slots).
Region 4B (MIMAROPA) — City College of Calapan, Barangay Guinobatan, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro (maximum 200 slots).
Region 5 (Bicol Region) — University of Nueva Caceres, J. Hernandez Avenue, Naga, Camarines Sur (maximum 1,000 slots).
Region 6 (Western Visayas) — Central Philippine University, University Avenue, Jaro, Iloilo City, Iloilo (maximum 475 slots) and University of St. La Salle, La Salle Avenue, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental (maximum 1,340 slots).
Region 7 (Central Visayas) — University of San Jose Recoletos – Basak Campus, N. Bacalso Street, Basak, Pardo, Cebu City (maximum 600 slots); University of Cebu School of Law, UC Banilad, M. Cuenco Avenue, Banilad, Cebu City (maximum 1,000 slots); University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance, University of San Carlos Law Building, Pelaez Street, Cebu City (maximum 200 slots); and Silliman University College of Law, 1 Hibbard Avenue, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental (maximum 1,000 slots).
Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) — Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation, Calanipawan Road, Barangay Calanipawan, Tacloban City, Leyte (maximum 400 slots).
Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) — Ateneo de Zamboanga University, La Purisima Street, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur (maximum 365 slots).
Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) — Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan College of Law, 73 Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental (maximum 240 slots); Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, Andres Bonifacio Avenue, Tibanga, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte (maximum 250 slots).
Region 11 (Davao Region) — Ateneo de Davao University, Senior High School Campus, Bangkal, Davao City (maximum 800 slots).
Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN) — Mindanao State University, Fatima, General Santos City (maximum 204 slots).