MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has pushed back the 2020 Bar Examinations to be held “sometime in 2021,” due to the increasing number of COVID-19 infections in the country and the disruption caused by the pandemic.
Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, also 2020 Bar Examinations Chairperson, announced on Wednesday a new schedule for the 2020 Bar Examinations will be issued in a separate bar bulleting by June 2020, “when current adjustments to the present pandemic becomes clearer.”
“It shall definitely be held sometime in 2021,” Leonen added.
The postponement will also give the SC time to “determine the necessary adjustments and to make adequate preparations for the safe and orderly conduct of the examinations,” Bar Bulletin No. 11 s. 2020 read.
The SC en banc, following the recommendation of Leonen, said that the next Bar examinations will be held in Manila and Cebu City.
SC holds the Bar examinations at the University of Santo Tomas during the four Sundays of November of each year.
The announcement came on the same day the SC released the results of the 2019 Bar examinations with a passing rate of 27.36%.
A total of 2,103 lawyer-hopefuls hurdled the Bar exams.
University of Santo Tomas-Legzpi alumna Mae Diane Azores led the 2019 Bar passers with the score of 91.0490%.
The Philippines’ new crop of lawyers is entering a legal landscape changed by technology and the COVID-19 pandemic that affected millions worldwide.