Supreme Court postpones final Bar exams

MANILA, Philippines - The final Bar exams scheduled for today have been reset to next Sunday due to tropical storm “Ondoy.”

“Bar exams scheduled for tomorrow (Sept. 27, Sunday) are reset to next Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, at the same time and venue, De La Salle University,” Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez announced yesterday afternoon in a text message.

The Professional Regulation Commission also announced the cancellation of the licensure exam for teachers in testing centers in Metro Manila due to the heavy flooding, the GMANews TV reported last night.

PRC Commissioner Nilo Rosas, however, was quoted as saying that the licensure exam will push through in testing centers in Batanes, Angeles City in Pampanga, Baguio City, Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, Lucena City in Quezon, Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao . 

Marquez, meanwhile, said they were closely monitoring Ondoy and the situation in Manila, especially the conditions in and around De La Salle University along Taft Avenue.

Ondoy (international codename: Ketsana) slammed into the eastern side of northern Philippines before noon yesterday, bringing rains that caused widespread flooding in many parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila.

At least 12 areas in Luzon were placed under Storm Signal No. 2 as Ondoy made landfall near the boundary of Aurora and Quezon provinces.

Although Metro Manila was only under Storm Signal No. 1, many places were reported to be heavily flooded, leaving thousands of motorists and commuters stranded.

The area around De La Salle University on Taft Avenue where the exams were to have been held today was reported to be heavily flooded.