By: Rey G. Panaligan
Seven thousand two-hundred twenty seven law graduates all over the country have signed up for the four-Sunday 2017 Bar examinations which start tomorrow at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.
Supreme Court records showed that the number of examinees this year is bigger than those in 2015 and 2016 with 6,605 and 6,344 examinees, respectively.
Subjects covered in the four-Sunday tests – Nov. 5, 12, 19, and 26 – are Political Law, Labor Law, Civil Law, Taxation, Mercantile Law, Criminal Law, Remedial Law, and Legal and Judicial Ethics.
Chairperson of this year’s Bar examinations is SC Justice Lucas P. Bersamin. The conduct of the 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 therefore 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 Metropolitan 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 also said.
The SC had also adopted contingency measures during the four-Sunday examinations, Ma. Cristina B. Layusa, deputy clerk of court and Bar confidant, said.
Among the contingencies were:
– In case of heavy rain in the morning of a Bar examination day, 10 SC buses will be available to transport Bar examinees and duty personnel to UST from the pick-up points – Quezon City Memorial Circle (two buses); Park and Ride, Lawton, Manila (one bus); SC compound, Taft Ave., Manila (two buses); Coastal Mall terminal, Paranaque City (two buses for Nov. 5, 19, and 26); EDSA Magallanes flyover in Makati City (beneath the flyover); Pasay City (two buses on Nov. 12); Greenbelt and Glorietta, Ayala Center, Makati (two buses); and Marikina Sports Complex in Marikina City (one bus).
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. Only Bar examinees and duty personnel are allowed to ride the shuttle buses.
The boarding shall be made on a first come, first serve basis. 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.
– 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 examination buildings within UST.
Priority in the use of the commuter vans shall be given to senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disability.
