Bar examinees flock to a testing center at the University of the Philippines - Diliman in Quezon City for the first day of the 2024 Bar Examinations on September 8, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Supreme Court Associate Justice and 2024 Bar chairperson Mario Lopez said 10,483 examinees showed up on the first day of the examinations early Sunday.

"From the initial pool of over 12,000 applicants, 10,483 showed up. This demonstrates the unwavering commitment of those who continued with the Bar Examinations despite the challenges," he said in a press briefing on Sunday at San Beda College Alabang, one of the testing centers. 

"We are a little bit higher because it was a carryover of those who did not make it or failed in the previous bar exam. At that time when they applied, they were still in their fourth year. And many, not many, but some of them did not make it and did not graduate. And failure to graduate will disqualify you from the bar examinations," Lopez added.

In response to the growing number of aspiring lawyers, he said they opened the application period as early as January. This gave aspirants four months to complete their requirements.

"During the application period, many prospective examinees were still completing their final year of law school or refresher course. Unfortunately, some did not graduate and or encountered unforeseen circumstances that led to their withdrawals," Lopez added.

2024 Bar exams kick off

Similar to previous years, the 2024 Bar remains digitalized and regionalized, still following the condensed schedule. 

The September 8 exams will cover political and public international law and commercial law and taxation laws. 

For September 11, exams will be on civil law and labor law and social legislations, while the September 15 exams will deal with criminal law, remedial law and legal and judicial ethics with practical exercises. 

"It is quite difficult, but we tried to be objective. I can speak for myself in this bar exam that we have framed our questions objectively. I said that it will not be easy nor difficult, it will be eksakto lang," Lopez said when asked about the difficulty of the 2024 Bar.

"Our aim is to produce lawyers who are not just prepared to practice, but who are also equipped with the professionalism, empathy and commitment to public service needed to serve effectively," he added.

2024 BAR EXAMS BY THE NUMBERS

Of the 10,483 examinees as of Sunday morning, 5,234 are new applicants and 4,060 are previous Bar takers; while there are also 1,189 refreshers.

There are more female than male examinees for the 2024 Bar at 6,108 and 4,375, respectively. 

A total of 155 examinees are senior citizens and 313 are those with special needs “to ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications.” 

The youngest Bar examinee is 23 years old, while the oldest is 78 years old. 

The 2024 Bar is spread out across the following 13 testing centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. 

Metro Manila

    - University of the Philippines Diliman - 1,025 examinees

    - University of Santo Tomas - 785 examinees

    - San Beda University - 1,455 examinees

    - Manila Adventist College - 438 examinees

    - University of the Philippines Bonifacio Global City - 739 examinees

    - San Beda College Alabang - 579 examinees

Luzon

    - Saint Louis University, Baguio City - 1,158 examinees

    - University of Nueva Caceres, Naga City - 527 examinees

Visayas

    - University of San Jose-Recoletos, Cebu City - 1,055 examinees

    - Central Philippine University, Iloilo City - 582 examinees

    - Dr. Vicente Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation, Tacloban City - 461 examinees

Mindanao

    - Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro City - 598 examinees

    - Ateneo de Davao University, Davao City - 1,081 examinees

About 2,316 personnel were deployed across all testing centers nationwide for the 2024 Bar.

Last year, 3,812 out of the 10,387 examinees successfully passed the bar exams.

FULL LIST: 2023 Bar exam passers

University of Santo Tomas law graduate Ephraim Porciuncula Bie topped the 2023 Bar with a score of 89.2625 percent.

2023 Bar topnotcher: I wanted to be a lawyer for as long as I can remember

BAR EXAM RESULTS  AND OATH TAKING SCHEDULE

The 2024 Bar chairperson said the shift to digitalized examinations helped accelerate the checking process. They also used multiple examiners for each subject to further speed up the checking process.

"We anticipate releasing the Bar Exam results by early December, tentatively. The oath-taking ceremony and signing of the Roll of Attorneys are already scheduled on January 24, 2025. This is already penciled and has to be done on that schedule," Lopez said.

NO CLASS DISRUPTIONS DURING 2024 BAR

The 2024 Bar exams will continue on Wednesday, September 11 and Sunday, 15.

When asked about the effect of the exams on classes in testing centers, Lopez said there are no disruptions since most schools opted to shift to online classes on the said dates.

"There are big schools like UP, who did not, which did not suspend classes because they may encounter some issues regarding the other colleges. But many schools suspended their classes and opted to have an online class during the bar examinations," he said.

"It was voluntary on their part to suspend classes during the period of the bar examination. And as I have said, they took an alternative learning process during that period of actually, I would not say it is a disruption because they have that option to continue with online classes," Lopez said.

The 2024 Bar chairperson also said they had contingency measures in place in case calamities or disasters strike during the conduct of the exams.

"We have contingency plan for any typhoon or disastrous circumstances. This is something that is beyond our control. Of course, we have prayed a lot. And it paid off… Today, we have a sunny day and a good weather, [we are] hoping that come Wednesday and Sunday, we will have the same weather," he said.

PAGASA monitoring twin low pressure areas

Addressing Bar examinees, Lopez said: "We need to have both mental and physical health, good mental and physical health to hurdle the bar exam [which]...is one of the most difficult examinations in the country," he said.

"So, as an advice to the examinees, balance your physical and mental health. There is no health, there is no good health without good mental health. Kailangan natin yan," he added.

With Lopez retiring next year, he said he hope to leave a good legacy.

"Considering that I've been in the academe for more than 20 years. And that is one of the main reasons why I was designated Bar Chairman. And also it is for that reason that I am preparing this as my legacy being a Professor of Law. I will have a legacy that for one time or another I have been a Bar Chairperson of the Supreme Court. I want to be remembered that I have I have performed or I have made a marvelous Bar Examination," he said.