Instead of holding exams for four Sundays, the SC on Tuesday passed a resolution cutting it to two days: Jan. 23 (Sunday) and Jan. 25 (Tuesday).
The court said aspiring lawyers will take four sets of tests, encompassing the eight usual subjects:
– The Law Pertaining to the State and Its Relationship with Its Citizens (formerly Political Law, Labor Law, and Taxation Law);
– Criminal Law;
– The Law Pertaining to Private Personal and Commercial Relations (formerly Civil Law and Commercial Law); and
– Procedure and Professional Ethics (formerly Remedial Law, Legal Ethics, and Practical Exercises)
The SC strongly urged all Bar takers to self-quarantine beginning Jan. 9, or at least two weeks before the tests.
They will be required to undergo antigen testing at least 48 hours before the first exam, and those found positive will be subject to a confirmatory RT-PCR test. Testing positive in both antigen and RT-PCR will result in non-admission to examinations sites, the SC said.
Both the 2020 and 2021 Bar exams were postponed and rescheduled for this month due to the health crisis.
According to the SC, the changes “seek to meet the demand for new lawyers amid the disasters plaguing the country.”
“The Philippines has produced no new lawyer since the pandemic. But while the Bar Examinations may no longer be postponed, it can be held in a way that is more humane. With these changes, the Court strikes that balance,” it said in a statement.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) – The Supreme Court reduced the duration and coverage of the 2020-2021 Bar examinations this month, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai).
