7,227 law graduates take bar exams this month

FILE: (Pixabay photo)

MANILA — A total of 7,227 law students will take the country’s 116th bar examination set this coming Sunday.

This year’s number of examinees is higher compared to last year’s 6,831.

Exams will be held on four Sundays of this month starting November 5, 12, 19, and 26 at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) in Manila.

The Bar exam covers eight subjects namely Political Law, Civil Law, Taxation, Labor Law, Criminal Law, Remedial Law, Mercantile Law and Legal and Judicial Ethics.

Chairperson of this year’s bar examinations is SC Justice Lucas P. Bersamin.

The conduct of bar examinations is an official function of the SC.

“Any act that undermines the safe and orderly conduct of the bar examinations or disturbs the due decorum therefor shall be punished with direct contempt of court, and shall be dealt with summarily,” Bersamin said in a notice.

The Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, the Metro Manila Development Authority, and the Coast Guard are deputized to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of the bar examinations, and their duly designated personnel are expressly authorized to prevent any violations of the orderly conduct of the bar examinations,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has readied contingency measures in case of bad weather condition during the conduct of the 2017 Bar exams.

Under Bar Matter No. 20 signed by Deputy Clerk of Court and Bar Confidant Ma. Christina Layusa, 10 Supreme Court buses have been deployed in case of bad weather to pick up the examinees in several designated points in Metro Manila which will bring them to the UST campus in Espana where the exams will be held.

“In case of heavy rain in the morning of a Bar examination day, a limited number of Supreme Court buses shall be available to transport bar Examinees and duty personnel to the University of Santo Tomas (UST) from the following pick-up points: Quezon City Memorial Circle (two buses), Park and Ride, Lawton, Manila (one bus), Supreme Court Compound, Taft Avenue (two buses), EDSA Magallanes Flyover, Pasay City (two buses beneath the flyover), Greenbelt and Glorietta, Ayala Center, Makati (two buses) and at the Marikina Sports Complex (one bus),” part of the contingency plan said.

Layusa said the SC shuttle buses will be stationed at these areas as early as 5 a.m. and will leave at exactly 5:30 a.m. and it will be on a first come, first serve basis exclusively for bar examinees and duty personnel.

“In order to avail of this service, they must present their Notice of Admission, Gate Pass and/or ID card, as the case may be, to the bus driver before being allowed to board,” Layusa said.

She said that in case of flooding inside the UST compound before the bar examinations start, commuter vans of the SC shall be available to transport bar examinees and duty personnel from the UST gates to their respective examination buildings within UST

‘’Priority in the use of the commuter vans shall be given to senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disability,’ Layusa said.

In case, flooding persists after the end of the examinations on any given examination day, Layusa said the SC commuter vans are on standby at each examination building in UST ready to transport back bar examinees and duty personnel to the Osmeña and Arellano Drives near Gate 5 on Espana Boulevard, where the SC shuttle buses are parked.

“The SC shuttle buses shall then be available to transport bar examinees and duty personnel from the UST to the following drop-off areas: north-bound passengers shall be transported up to QC Memorial Circle; south-bound passengers could be dropped off at Park and Ride in Lawton, Supreme Court premises and EDSA Magallanes Flyover (beneath the flyover) in Pasay City; for Makati area, drop-off area shall be at the Ayala Center (Glorietta and Greenbelt); and for Marikina area and the Marikina Sports Complex,” she added.

On the second Sunday of the bar exam, examinees have also been advised to avoid Roxas Boulevard because of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit

“Please consider alternative routes to the UST that do not involve using Roxas Boulevard on Nov. 12, 2017,” the high court said. (PNA)