CEBU CITY – The first day of this city’s hosting of this year’s Bar examinations went smoothly.

Road closures and increased police visibility in areas surrounding the two universities that served as examination venues were among the security measures that were enforced in the first day of the bar exams on Wednesday, Nov. 9.
The University of San Carlos (USC) in downtown area and the University of Cebu-Banilad Campus in uptown Barangay Banilad served as venues of the exams.
The public information office of the Supreme Court said 530 examinees were accommodated at the USC and 789 were assigned at UC.
A liquor ban within the 100-meter radius of the two examination venues was also implemented.
Similar security measures will be imposed in the succeeding schedules of the bar exams on Nov. 13, Nov. 16 and Nov. 20.
At the USC, police vehicles were seen parked on the road that were closed to traffic.
“As early as 3 a.m., the road was already closed to traffic,” said Galleo Gallego, a traffic enforcer of the City Traffic Office.
Gallego said traffic enforcers and police officers were already deployed before the examinees started arriving.
“We were already here as early as 3 a.m. and the instructions are we will pull out at 7 p.m.,” said Gallego.
This year’s Bar exams has 14 testing centers spread out across the country.
The city is hosting the Bar for the second straight year. The city hosted the Bar exams for the first time last year.