Bar examinees flock to the testing center at the San Beda University in Manila for the first day of the 2024 Bar Examinations on September 8, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA – The 2024 Bar Examinations kicked off on Sunday, with many of the aspiring lawyers sent off by their families and friends. 

At one of the testing centers in the University of the Philippines - Diliman in Quezon City, some supporters arrived as early as 3 a.m., carrying tarpaulins, balloons, and a bubble machine as they wished Bar examinees good luck. 

“Napakaimportante nito kasi nagbibigay ito ng moral support sa kanila at lakas ng loob. Nakapagbibigay ng inspirasyon na kasama nila kami sa laban nila”, said Michael Borja, the administrative officer of St. Dominic Savio College- School of Law in Caloocan City. 

For some schools, sending off Bar takers has been a yearly tradition. 

“Ayon sa mga kwento ng upper class namin at mga naka-graduate at nakapasa na ng bar exams, nakakatulong at nakakataas ng kanilang morale na maramdaman na nasa likod nila ang buong university sa kanilang pagti-take ng bar exam,” said Julliene Ongcay, Chairman of the Bar Operations Committee of Bulacan State University- College of Law. 

Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

"Mahirap kasi yung Bar exams, hindi tulad ng ordinaryong exam, kaya malaking tulong kapag nakikita nila 'yung suporta mula sa mga kakilala, kaibigan, at kamag-anak," said Atty. Monette Jane Vargas, who accompanied her sibling and classmates who took the exams at another testing site in Legazpi, Albay.       

Meanwhile, Perfecto Jaime Tagalog, a 44 year-old Bar taker, arrived at the UP Diliman campus with his wife and daughter, with high hopes that he would nail one of the toughest examinations in the country. 

“First time ko kumuha ngayon at the same time, mixed emotions dahil doon sa preparations. Maraming kailangan i-consider na aralin talaga. Sa sitwasyon ng ating bansa, ang daming mga batas na kailangang intindihin at alamin ng mas malalim pa,” Tagalog said, 

“Yes, of course, I do believe it and I claim it already na ipapanalo ko itong laban na ito,” he added. 

Aside from reviewing and taking notes, Tagalog admitted that his wife told him to put a coin over his right foot, believing that it would bring him luck during the examination. 

“Nabasa ko lang din ‘yong nga gano’n, ‘yong nga rituals, tsaka binilihan ko siya ng red na boxer shorts. Wala namang masama basta nando’n pa rin ‘yong paniniwala kay God,” his wife Fatima Tagalog said. 

The Supreme Court received 12,246 applications for the 2024 Bar Examinations that would be held held in 13 testing sites on September 8, 11 and 15. 

The results are expected to be out before the year ends.

– With a report from Jeric Lopez, ABS-CBN News