MANILA, Philippines ? (UPDATE 2) A total of 1,451 out of 5,903 examinees from 108 law schools nationwide passed the 2009 Bar examinations, Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo Nachura announced Friday.

Nachura, chairman of the 2009 Bar examinations committee, said this represented 24.58 percent of the total number.

The announcement came after the high court?s en banc session where Nachura presented the result.

Nachura said the passing rate was lowered from 75 percent to 71 percent while the disqualification grade in Taxation was lowered from 49 percent to 45 percent.

In the last decade, the highest passing rate was posted in 2001 at 32.89%, while the lowest was in 2002 at 19.68%. The highest passing percentage of all time was in 1954 at 75.17%, while the lowest was in 1999 with 16.59%.

The passing percentage for this year was higher compared to last year?s 20.58 percent or 1,310 out of 6,364.

The 2009 Bar exams was also the first time that two examiners were designated in each of the eight subjects. Thus, every Bar subject was divided into two parts.

The 2-examiner policy was adopted by the high court after the Committee on Legal Education and Bar Matters approved the proposal of lawyer Ma. Cristina B. Layusa, deputy clerk of Court and Bar Confidant, to designate two examiners per Bar subject, pursuant to Paragraph 4, Part B of Bar Matter No. 1161.

The Court conducts the Bar examinations pursuant to Article VIII, Sec. 5 of the Constitution which provides that it shall have the power to promulgate rules governing the admission to the practice of law.

The Rules of Court provide that ?a candidate may be deemed to have passed his examination successfully if he has obtained a general average of 75% in all subjects without falling below 50% in any subject.?

In determining the average, subjects in the examinations are given the following relative weights: Political and International Law, 15%; Labor and Social Legislation, 10%; Civil Law, 15%; Taxation, 10%; Mercantile Law, 15%; Criminal Law, 10%; Remedial Law, 20%; and Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises, 5%, for a total of 100%.

This year?s examiners were lawyers Sixto S. Brillantes, Jr. and Jeremy I. Gatdula (Political and International Law); Court of Appeals (CA) Justice Vicente S.E. Veloso and lawyer Pablo R. Cruz (Labor and Social Legislation); Justice Alicia V. Sempio-Diy (retired) and Court Administrator Zenaida N. Elepaño (retired) (Civil Law); Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) Presiding Justice Ernesto D. Acosta and lawyer Edwin R. Abella (Taxation); CA Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando and lawyer Hector Danny D. Uy (Mercantile Law); Sandiganbayan Justice Edilberto G. Sandoval and CA Justice Mario V. Lopez (Criminal Law); Sandiganbayan Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo and CA Justice Magdangal M. De Leon (Remedial Law); and Sandiganbayan Justice Samuel R. Martires and CA Justice Noel G. Tijam (Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises).

Complete list of Successful Examinees of 2009 Bar Examinations