250 aspiring lawyers ready for Bar Examinations

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Over 250 aspiring lawyers are expected to take the two-day Bar Examinations at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, according to Mayor Beng Climaco.

Climaco said the examinations Friday and Sunday are the first in Zamboanga and she thanked the Supreme Court for choosing the city as one of the venues for the Bar Examinations which was previously set in November last year. 

By tradition, the examinations were held on four Sundays of the month in Metro Manila, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is held at several venues throughout the country, one of which in Ateneo de Zamboanga University. 

The Bar Examination is the professional licensure examination for lawyers and is exclusively administered by the Supreme Court through the Supreme Court Bar Examination Committee. 

The rule limits to five the number of times a candidate may take the Bar exams. The rule disqualifies a candidate after failing in three examinations. However, the candidate is permitted to take fourth and fifth examinations if he or she successfully completes a one-year refresher course for each examination.  

A separate statement from City Hall said the examinations are digitized, allowing Barristers to use laptops and digital downloading of the questionnaire from the Internet. It said health protocols are also mandatory among the Barristers and those who will conduct the examinations. 

Climaco said she met with the personnel from the Supreme Court headed by Atty. Jul Ahmed Gaspar accompanied by Executive Judge Peter Eisma and other local court officials to discuss the needed preparations for the conduct of the examinations.

The other venues of the Bar Examinations are the Ateneo de Manila University; Manila Adventist College; SLU Baguio; Saint Louis College – La Union; Saint Mary’s University; Cagayan State University; De La Salle Lipa; University of Nueva Caceres; University of St. La Salle – Bacolod; Central Philippine University; University of Cebu – Banilad; Mindanao State University – Iligan; Mindanao State University – General Santos City; Ateneo de Davao University; and Xavier University – Cagayan de Oro.

Bar chairman and Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said the en banc approved the modality of the examinations which is digitized, localized and proctored. He said the Supreme Court might have a total of 25 testing sites throughout the country to accommodate more examinees. (Zamboanga Post)