Over 12,000 take 2026 Bar exams

MANILA, Philippines —  A total of 12,029 examinees took the first day of the 2026 Bar Examinations on Sunday, September 6, representing 89.5 percent of the 13,441 applicants admitted to take this year’s examinations, according to the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

The examinations were held simultaneously in 15 local testing centers nationwide, including the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Basak Campus in Cebu City.

Of the 12,029 examinees who showed up on the first day, 6,773 or 56.3 percent were female, while 5,256 or 43.7 percent were male.

Supreme Court data also showed that the youngest examinee is 24 years old, while the oldest is 84. A total of 304 persons with disabilities (PWDs) and 285 senior citizens are also taking the examinations.

The examinees are composed of 45.9 percent first-time takers, 29.5 percent previous takers and 24.6 percent refreshers.

The Supreme Court has been using the hashtag #AweSAMbar2026 for its official updates on this year’s Bar examinations.

In Cebu City, 1,326 of the 1,519 registered examinees took the first day of the examinations at the USJ-R Basak Campus.

The first day began at 8 a.m., with Political and Public International Law administered in the morning and Commercial and Taxation Laws in the afternoon.

The Police Regional Office 7 (PRO-7) reported zero untoward incidents during the first day of the examinations in Central Visayas.

PRO-7 Regional Director PBGen Arnold E. Abad said the police had put in place the necessary security measures to protect examinees, examination personnel and other stakeholders.

“Rest assured that all necessary security measures are in place to ensure a safe, peaceful, and orderly Bar Examinations,” Abad said, while wishing the examinees, including uniformed personnel taking the Bar, the best of luck.

The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) deployed personnel from its Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, Quick Reaction Teams, Special Weapons and Tactics teams and Intelligence Unit.

They were augmented by personnel from the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO), Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and Bureau of Fire Protection, in coordination with the Supreme Court Office of the Judiciary Marshals.

Police and traffic personnel were stationed along N. Bacalso Avenue early Sunday morning, with around 100 CCPO personnel deployed as early as 4 a.m. to secure the perimeter of the testing center.

The CCTO also deployed 20 personnel to manage traffic and enforce a dedicated drop-off lane for examinees in front of the USJ-R Basak Campus.

The drop-off lane was operational from 2 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Noise restrictions were likewise enforced in front of the campus. As of 7 a.m., traffic in the area remained normal.

Councilor David “Dave” Tumulak, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said traffic in the area remained manageable following the conduct of the examinations.

Motorists had earlier been advised to expect temporary traffic slowdowns, access restrictions and other traffic management measures around the Basak area during the Bar examination dates.

Drivers were urged to plan their trips, allow additional travel time, use alternate routes when practical, and follow the instructions of traffic personnel and authorized event marshals.

The 2026 Bar Examinations are being conducted on September 6, 9 and 13.

On September 9, examinees will take Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds, followed by Labor Law and Social Legislation.

The final examination day on September 13 will cover Criminal Law and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics, and Practical Exercises.

As examinees faced the first day of the Bar examinations, Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan, chairperson of the 2026 Bar Examinations, reminded them that the Bar should not be viewed as a competition against fellow examinees but as a personal test of readiness and perseverance.

In his message posted on the Supreme Court’s Facebook page titled “Faith and Hope: A Dream within Reach,” Gaerlan acknowledged the sacrifices, hardships and long hours endured by examinees in pursuing their dream of becoming lawyers.

He assured them that regardless of the outcome, their efforts were already significant.

“I want to assure you that, whatever happens, you are enough,” Gaerlan said.

The 13,441 applicants admitted to take this year’s Bar examinations surpassed the 13,193 registered applicants in 2025.

Last year, 11,420 valid examinees took the examinations, with 5,594 eventually passing. (CEBU NEWS)