MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court on Thursday announced that the 2023 Bar Examinations will be held on September, veering away from the traditional schedule of November.
In Bar Bulletin No. 1, Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando — 2023 Bar chairperson — said the exams will be held in just three days: September 17 (Sunday), 20 (Wednesday) and 24 (Sunday).
Like in the past two examinations, it will also be digitalized and regionalized.
“The rationale is both practical and societal: an earlier conduct of examinations means an earlier release of examination results; successful Bar examinees can commence their practice of law as early as December 2023; and new lawyers may begin contributing to their families and to the society as members of the Bar in the same year they graduated from law school,” Hernando said, on the shortened period of the exams.
The 2023 Bar exams will also cover six core subjects, with two taken per examination day. These are:
First Day
- Political and Public International Law (15%)
- Commercial and Taxation Laws (20%)
Second Day
- Civil Law (20%)
- Labor Law and Social Legislation (10%)
Third Day
- Criminal Law (10%)
- Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises (25%)
“The above subjects were determined, and some were conjoined, upon a thoughtful review of previous syllabi and due consideration of the latest developments in legal practice,” Hernando said.
He added that the 2023 Bar Exams will have a maximum of 20 straightforward, entry-level questions, in essay-type form. There will be four examiners per subject.
“Announcements regarding the 2023 Bar procedure, i.e., application requirements, software technical specifications, health protocols and venue-selection processes will be separately issued in subsequent Bar Bulletins,” Hernando continued.
The SC held the 2022 Bar exams, also in digital format, in four days spread in two weeks last November.