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10,387 examinees finished 3-day 2023 Bar exams; results, oath-taking before Christmas
10,387 examinees finished 3-day 2023 Bar exams; results, oath-taking before Christmas
A total of 10,387 out of 10,791 registered examinees took and completed the three-day 2023 Bar examinations administered by the Supreme Court (SC) last Sept. 17, 20, and 24.
The SC, through Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando who is the chairperson of the examinations, had announced that the results will be released early December and the oath-taking and signing of the Rolls of Attorneys will be held before Christmas.
It also pointed out that the examinations will be sorted and checked by four examiners per subject and not through artificial intelligence (AI) as claimed in at least two social media accounts.
“I am overwhelmed by the smooth, peaceful, and orderly turnout of the 2023 Bar Examinations. It was more than what I hoped and envisioned it would be. Indeed, it was a smashing success,” Justice Hernando said.
He said the Bar examination committee ensured that that the digitalized examinations “were accessible and inclusive to all examinees, including those with special needs.”
The SC, on recommendation of Hernando, allowed examinees with special needs to take the examinations through the traditional handwritten modality, with an encoder’s assistance, or with the use of the novel Digital Booklet Method.
The SC’s public information office (PIO) said that “a visually impaired examinee was allowed to take the test through the use of the Digital Booklet Method for the 2023 Bar, where a Court-issued laptop with installed Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) served as his examination booklet.”
The PIO said the examinee finished law school through the use of software programs like NVDA and OpenBook. NVDA, in particular, is a screen reader that “reads aloud” scanned text of his books and testing booklets, “enabling the examinee to study his books and take his exams through ear reading.”
It said “there have been visually impaired Bar applicants admitted in the past years who took the tests with the assistance of a special encoder.” It also said “the Bar applicant who took the 2020/21 Bar examinations and one of the two applicants who took the 2022 Bar Examinations passed and are now full-fledged lawyers.”
The PIO said the oldest Bar examinee this year is an 86-year-old aspiring lawyer who took the examinations at the San Beda College-Alabang, the SC’s headquarters for the examinations.
The youngest was a 23-year-old examinee who took the three-day tests at the University of the Philippines-Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, it said.
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo congratulated and thanked Justice Hernando and his team for the successful conclusion of the 2023 Bar examinations.
“Indeed, Associate Justice Mon Hernando did an exemplary job in making this year’s Bar a more meaningful experience for our future lawyers,” Gesmundo said.
Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez will be the chairperson of the 2024 Bar examinations. The turnover of the chairmanship of the next Bar examinations was held last Sept. 24.
Witnessing the turnover ceremonies were Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Rodil V. Zalameda, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Japar B. Dimaampao, Jose Midas P. Marquez, Antonio T. Kho, Jr., and Maria Filomena D. Singh.
Also present were retired Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta, Court of Appeals Acting Presiding Justice Fernanda Lampas Peralta, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, Court of Tax Appeals Presiding Justice Roman G. Del Rosario, retired Senior Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe, Muntinlupa City Mayor Rozzano Rufino B. Biazon, Muntinlupa City Vice Mayor Hon. Artemio A. Simundac, and Justice Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez.