8,701 to take Bar exams

MANILA, Philippines — All is set for the Bar examinations that will kick off at the University of Sto. Tomas this Sunday, the Supreme Court (SC) announced yesterday.

A total of 8,701 examinees have been accepted by the Office of the Bar Confidant to take this year’s exams.

Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo, who chairs the Bar exams committee, led the preparations for the exams.

The SC will deploy 10 buses to transport the examinees and duty personnel to UST from several pick-up points in case of heavy rains.

During the four Sundays of the exams, buses will be stationed as early as 4:30 a.m. and will leave at 5 a.m. in the following areas: Quezon City Memorial Circle near the Philippine Coconut Authority (two buses); Park and Ride, Lawton in Manila (one bus); SC New Building compound, Taft Avenue (two buses); Greenbelt and Glorietta, Ayala Center in Makati (two buses), and Marikina Sports Complex (one bus).

The SC has coordinated with the Manila city government and Manila Police District to ensure the safety of the examinees.

A liquor ban will be imposed within the 100-meter radius of the UST. A “no parking” policy will be implemented along España and Dapitan streets during the exams.

Tents,  tarpaulins and loud music in the vicinity of the venue will also be banned.

Medical personnel will be on standby for emergency situations.

Last year, for the first time in the history of the Bar exams, the high court deployed a “Justice on Wheels” bus at the venue to serve as a special trial court to hear cases against anyone arrested by police disrupting the conduct of the exams.

A metropolitan trial court judge manned the special court and was authorized to impose on-the-spot fines and imprisonment of up to 10 days or both for offenders on charges of direct contempt of court.

Of the 7,227 examinees who took the Bar in November last year, only 1,724 or 25.5 percent became lawyers.