Results of the 2023 online Bar examinations will be released before Christmas this year and the oath-taking of the new lawyers will be held before New Year, the Supreme Court (SC) said.

The three-day Bar exams started Sunday, Sept. 17, in 14 local testing centers (LTCs) nationwide.  The last two days of the exams are on Sept. 20 and 24.

Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, chairperson of the 2023 Bar exams committee, said in a press briefing at the San Beda College Alabang (SBCA):

“For the longest time, Bar examinees have had to endure several months of perceived agony of waiting before the results of the professional licensure exams for future lawyers are released.

“This year, however, following the examples of my recent predecessors as Bar Chair, the time spent by the examinees waiting in agony for the results of the exams will be cut short: my team and I are eyeing the release of the results of the 2023 Bar Examinations in early December before Christmas day.

“Moreover, there will be simultaneous oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys in December also before Christmas day so that we will have our new batch of full-fledged lawyers before the year ends.

“It will be an additional reason for those who will hurdle the Bar Exams to celebrate the Holiday Season.”

Justice Hernando said that as of Sept. 17, a total of 10,791, instead of 10,816 as earlier announced, will take the subject of the six-subject examinations spread in three days.

The change is the number was a result of the withdrawal of 25 examinees who had earlier registered.  Some, as in previous examinations, may still withdraw from the exams after the first day.

Hernando said the conduct of the examinations by the SC will be assisted by 2,571 Bar personnel deployed in the 14 LTCs.  The SC headquarters for the exams is at the San Beda College Alabang in Muntinlupa City.

“The 2,571-strong 2023 Bar workforce, which includes court officials; judges; numerous personnel from the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Sandiganbayan, the Court of Tax Appeals, and First-and Second-Level Courts; and volunteer lawyers in the government and private practice, are fully committed to ensuring the integrity and orderly process of this year’s Examinations,” he said.

Six core subjects are covered in the examinations -- Political and Public International Law, 15 percent; Commercial and Taxation Laws, 20 percent; Labor Law and Social Legislation, 10 percent; Criminal Law, 10 percent; and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises, 25 percent.

The subjects for Sunday, Sept. 17, are Political and Public International Law in the morning, and Commercial and Taxation Laws in the afternoon, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

On Sept. 20, 2023, the subjects covered are Civil Law in the morning and Labor Law and Social Legislation in the afternoon.

On Sept. 24, 2023, Criminal Law and Remedial Law will be in the morning and Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises in the afternoon.

In the National Capital Region, the LTCs are at the San Beda University, Manila; University of Santo Tomas, Manila; SBCA; University of the Philippines, Quezon City; Manila Adventist College, Pasay City; and University of the Philippines, Bonifacio Global City.

In Luzon, the LTCs are at the Saint Louis University in Baguio City; Cagayan State University, Tuguegarao City; and University of Nueva Caceres, Naga City.

In the Visayas, the LTCs are at University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City, University of San Carlos also in Cebu City, and Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation in Tacloban City.

There are two LTCs in Mindanao – one at the Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City and the other at the Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City.

Courts within the areas of the 14 LTCs will be closed on Sept. 20.

Several local governments in the 14 LTCs have announced traffic rerouting in areas where the examinations will be held. Most of them have also banned the sale of liquor on certain times of the day during the three-day examinations.