Out of 12,246 law graduates who registered for the 2024 online Bar examinations, a total of 10,483 showed up in 13 local testing centers (LTCs) nationwide and took the tests on Sunday morning, Sept. 8.
Of those who took the examinations in the morning of Sept. 8, a total of 5,234 are new applicants, 4,060 are previous takers, and 1,189 are refreshers, SC Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez, chairperson of the Bar examinations committee, told journalists in a press conference.
Justice Lopez also said that there are 6,108 female and 4,375 male examinees, and there are 155 who are senior citizens and 313 examinees with special needs.
At the same time, he said the youngest examinee is 23 years old while the eldest is 78 years old.
The number of examinees who would finish the two subjects scheduled on the first day would be announced at the end of the day by the SC which administers the yearly examinations.
Explaining the decline in the number of examinees based on those who registered, Justice Lopez said: “During the application period, many prospective examinees were still completing their final year of law school or refresher courses. Unfortunately, some did not graduate and/or encountered unforeseen circumstances that led to the withdrawals.”
He said a total of 2,316 personnel have been deployed in 13 LTCs “to ensure the smooth conduct of the exams.”
The last two days of the examinations will be conducted by the SC on Sept. 11 and 15 also in 13 LTCs nationwide.
For Sept. 8, examinees took the test on Political and Public International Law in the morning and Commercial and Taxation Laws was schedule in the afternoon; Civil Law in the morning on Sept. 11 and Labor and Social Legislation in the afternoon; and Criminal Law in the morning on Sept. 15, and Remedial Law and Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises in the afternoon.
It is expected that the results of the examinations will be announced before the year ends, and that the oath taking and signing of the roll of attorneys would be held immediately thereafter.
The LTCs in the National Capital Region are at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City; University of Santo Tomas in Sampaloc, Manila; San Beda University in San Miguel, Manila; Manila Adventist College in Pasay City; University of the Philippines in Bonifacio Global City; and San Beda College in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
The LTCs in Luzon are at the Saint Louis University in Baguio City and at the University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City.
In the Visayas, the LCTs are at the University of San Jose-Recoletos, Basak Campus in Cebu City; Central Philippine University in Jaro, Iloilo City; and Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation in Tacloban City.
The LCTs in Mindanao are at the Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City and Ateneo de Davao University, Senior High School Campus in Bangkal, Davao City.
Local governments in the NCR where the Bar examinations are being held have announced traffic rerouting in areas where the LTCs are located.