UP Law grad tops Bar exams; 3,962 takers pass

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday announced that 3,962 of 10,490 candidates have passed this year’s Bar exams.

The passing rate is at 37.84 percent, an increase from last year’s 36.77 percent or 3,812 passing examinees.

With the passing grade lowered to 74 from 75 percent, Associate Justice and Bar chair Mario Lopez said nearly 1,000 new lawyers were added to the list.

Top performer Kyle Christian Tutor of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law scored 85.77 percent.

Tutor served as vice chair of the Philippine Law Journal and worked as a legal secretary and planning officer at the Office of the Solicitor General while pursuing his law degree.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said the office is considering welcoming Tutor back.

“I will ask him to rejoin us,” he said in a message to reporters.

Maria Christina Aniceto of the Ateneo de Manila University scored 85.54 percent. Gerald Roxas of the University Foundation School of Law earned 84.35 percent.

Five other top 20 finishers were also from UP Law.

Ateneo had the highest percentage of first-time candidates who passed, with a rate of 93.36 percent, followed by UP (93.09 percent), San Beda University (91.54 percent), University of Santo Tomas (88.72 percent) and University of San Carlos (85.45 percent).

This year marked the third iteration of the digitized exam, held at 13 designated local testing centers nationwide on Sept. 8, 11 and 15.

Successful candidates are expected to take their oath in January 2025.

Speaker Martin Romualdez congratulated the passing examinees.

“Your hard work, dedication and perseverance have paid off and you now stand as members of one of the most honorable professions in our society,” Romualdez said. — Jose Rodel Clapano