SC designates Cebu City as regional site for next Bar Exams

The Supreme Court symbol in Manila. (File photo LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Supreme Court (SC) has designated Cebu City as a regional site for the next Bar Examinations.

This after the country’s highest court approved a resolution paving way for the establishment of a regional site here for Bar Examinations in the future. 

Based on the five-page document released by the SC’s Public Information Office (PIO) on Thursday, August 13, the decision was promulgated last April 29, 2020.

It was signed by Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, and Associate Justices Estela Perlas – Bernabe, Marvic Leonen, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmunod, Jose Reyes Jr., Ramon Paul Hernando, Rosmari Carandang, Amy Lazaro-Javier, Henri Jean Paul Inting, Rodil Zalameda, Mario Lopez, Edgardo Delos Santos, and Samuel Gaerlan.

Portions of the resolution stated that ‘once domestic travel restrictions had been lifted, a site visit in Cebu City would be conducted to search for a suitable venue’.

“The Bar Examinations in Manila shall be held at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila. The final venue for the regional Bar Examinations in Cebu City shall be announced at a later date,” it read.

With the opening of a regional site inevitable, the SC said aspiring lawyers from Visayas and Mindanao would have the choice to either take the examinations in Manila or Cebu City.

“The guidelines for applications of those, who wish to take the examinations in Cebu City, will be announced later through a Bar bulletin,” stated SC.

The high court has also ordered the Office of the Bar Confidant to submit a budget proposal for the establishment of the regional Bar Examination site in the city, ‘taking into consideration social distancing measures and safety precautions in view of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic’.

“The Bar application fees shall (also) be correspondingly be increased to cover the costs of a regional examination site in Cebu City,” they added.

Since 2002, several Cebu-based groups of lawyers have requested before the SC to open a regional site for future Bar Examinations in Cebu City.

“The social impact of providing a regional site for the Bar Examinations cannot be overemphasized, and may even lead to more regional sites in future examinations,” SC said.

The Bar Examinations for this year has been postponed to a later date due to the COVID-19 pandemic./dbs

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