MANILA, Philippines — More than 10,000 applicants are taking the Bar examinations today and in the following days, 2024 Bar Chair Associate Justice Mario Lopez said on Sunday September 8.
Other exam days are scheduled for September 11 and September 15.
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Lopez said there was an initial pool of over 12,000 aspirants, but there were multiple dropouts for a number of reasons. Some of them were still completing their last year of law school, and some were not able to graduate.
“As a result of the initial pool of over 12,000 applicants, there are 10,483 examinees who showed up today. This demonstrates the unwavering commitment of those who continue with the Bar examinations despite the turbulence,” Lopez said in a press briefing.
According to Lopez, 5,234 of this year’s pool are new examiness, while 4,060 are previous takers and 1,189 are refreshers.
“The gender distribution is also notable, with 6,108 female examinees and 4,375 male examinees. Additionally, we have accommodated 155 senior citizens and 313 examinees with special needs to ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications,” Lopez said.
The youngest examinee is 23 years old, while the oldest is 78 years old, the Supreme Court Justice magistrate added.
Lopez also urged Bar examinees to take care of both their mental and physical health, as the Bar exams are one of the toughest tests in the country.
Faster implementation of the exams are expected this year, as there are six testing centers in Metro Manila, two others in Luzon, three in Visayas, and two in Mindanao, said Lopez.
Lopez said that they were also able to digitalize the exams, and they also used multiple examiners for each subject.
“As a result, we anticipate releasing the bar exam results by early December,” Lopez said.
The Supreme Court and the Office of the Bar Chair have also prepared contingencies in light of possible emergencies, such as tropical cyclones, floods and earthquakes.
Lopez is set to retire next year, and expressed hopes that this year’s Bar exams will be part of his legacy.
“I’ve been in the academe for more than 20 years. and that is one of the main reasons why I was designated chairman. And also, it is for that reason that I am preparing this as my legacy,” the magistrate said.