Exciting. There are more than 7,000 Bar examinees who will face the greatest trial of their lives on November 5, 12, 19, and 26. For November 5, they will tackle Political Law in the morning and Labor Law in the afternoon. On November 12, Civil Law and Taxation. On November 19, Commercial Laws and Criminal Law. The most challenging is on November 26, where they shall hurdle Remedial Law and Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises. This year's chairman was my fellow Law professor in UST and UE, Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, also my neighbor in BF Homes.
He was a Bar topnotcher himself, the father of my former student in the Faculty of Civil Law.
The passing rates are quite alarming, with the sole exception last year, when the chairman, Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. was able to convince the fourteen other members of the Supreme Court to approve a passing rate of 59.06, some 3,747 out of 6,344 candidates. In 2015 1,731 out of 6,344 passed or 26.21 percent. In 2014 only 18.82 percent or 1,126 out of 5,984. In 2013, 22.18 percent or 1,174 out of 5,293. In 2012, a mere 17.76 percent or only 949 out of 5,343. In 2011, it was 31.95 percent or 1,913 out of 5,987. In 2010, only 20.26 percent or 982 out 4,847. This year, I predict that the percentage shall range from 20 to 35 percent. Whatever it is, the USC and the UC bar examinees are aspiring to do excellently. We can never tell however. UV, SWU, USJR and USP examinees may pull a surprise.
This year all questions are essay. There are no more multiple choice questions. Bar candidates should prepare logic-driven arguments. There shall also be objective questions, including definition and enumeration. Examinees should understand and appreciate facts, they must have enough stock knowledge on applicable laws and the issues to be resolved. Their command of the language and spelling must be impeccable, and their syntax and grammar excellent. Importantly, their penmanship must be legible and clean.
We are now busy preparing our Bar candidates. Law deans from Cebu are excited to try and duplicate what USC achieved last year, beating even UP, Ateneo, San Beda, and UST. Most of our barristers are already in Manila. Many groups from Visayas and Mindanao have contacted me for a half-day session on Labor Standards and Labor Relations. Thus, I am hopping from one hotel to another helping Bar candidates level the playing field. This Bar exam is really a big challenge. As a topnotcher, Bersamin demands high-quality answers from high-caliber future lawyers. Excellence is the name of the game. I really hope and pray that my alma maters, UV (Law) and SWU (AB) shall shine this year. Exciting indeed. Good luck to Dean Portia Hormachuelos of the UV Gullas Law School.