SC sets contingency plan for 2018 Bar exams

The Supreme Court on Wednesday has laid down its contingency plan for the upcoming Bar Examination which will be conducted on all four Sundays of November (4, 11,18 and 25) at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

Deputy Clerk of Court and Bar Confidant Ma. Cristina B. Layusa said 10 buses have been made available to transport examinees and duty personnel to UST from several pick-up points in case of heavy rain..

Layusa added that the buses will be stationed as early as 4:30 a.m. and will leave exactly at 5 a.m. from the following areas: Quezon City Memorial Circle near Philippine Coconut Authority (two buses); Park and Ride, Lawton, Manila (one bus); SC New Building Compound, Taft Avenue (two buses); Greenbelt and Glorietta, Ayala Center, Makati (two buses); and Marikina Sports Complex (one bus).

Only Bar examinees and duty personnel are allowed to ride the shuttle buses, and boarding shall be on a first-come, first-served basis. To avail of this service, they must present their Notice of Admission, Gate Pass and/or identification cards, as the case may be, to the bus driver before being allowed to board.

In case of flooding inside the UST compound before the start of the exams, the High Court also provided commuter vans to transport examinees and duty personnel from the UST gates to their respective examination buildings. Senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disability (PWDs) shall be prioritized in the use of the commuter vans.

Layusa said if after the end of the exams there is flooding, the commuter vans shall also be available at each examination building to transport Bar examinees and duty personnel back to Osmeña and Arellano Drives near Gate 5 along España where the High Court shuttle buses are parked.

The SC shuttle buses will transport and drop them off in the following areas: northbound passengers shall be transported up to QC Memorial Circle (near Philippine Coconut Authority) while southbound passengers at Park and Ride, Lawton, Supreme Court premises, and at the EDSA Magallanes Flyover (beneath the Flyover) in Pasay. For passengers going to the Makati area, the drop-off area shall be at the Ayala Center (Glorietta and Greenbelt), while those going to the Marikina area shall be at the Marikina Sports Complex.

Based on the records of the Office of the Bar Confidant (OBC), there is a total of 8,701 candidates approved to take the 2018 Bar examination, the highest in recent years.

This year’s Bar exam committee is chaired by Supreme Court Associate Justice Mariano Del Castillo. /muf

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