SC to open 25 Bar testing sites

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) is planning to open at least 25 testing sites nationwide for the 2020-2021 Bar examinations so that applicants need not go to Manila amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

SC Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said there are 16 educational institutions that agreed to have their facilities used as testing centers for the Bar examinations.

Among them are Ateneo de Manila University, Manila Adventist College, Saint Louis University-Baguio, Saint Louis College-La Union, Saint Mary’s University, Cagayan State University, De La Salle Lipa and University of Nueva Caceres.

The others are University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, Central Philippine University, University of Cebu-Banilad, Mindanao State University-Iligan, MSU-General Santos City, Ateneo de Davao University, Xavier University-Cagayan de Oro and Ateneo de Zamboanga University.

Leonen, who chairs the 2020-2021 Bar examinations, added that they are also tapping more “large schools” nationwide to get at least 25 testing centers to accommodate more Bar examinees.

The SC will soon launch an online portal dubbed the “Bar Personalized Login Unified System (Bar PLUS)” for the digital filing of applications to take the Bar examinations.

In another development, Leonen said the 2020-2021 Bar exams will push through as he emphasized that they are now in the “full throttle in terms of preparing this,” reacting to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello’s statement floating the idea of abolishing licensure exams, especially for nursing and law graduates.