SC urged to extend conduct of 2021 Bar exams to Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court should extend the conduct of the 2021 Bar examinations to Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said Wednesday.

This came after the high court announced that, for the first time, the licensure exams for lawyers will be held simultaneously in Manila and Cebu City to the lessen costs for law graduates. This is the first time that a Bar exam will be held outside Metro Manila.

The SC has likewise announced that the next Bar exams will be held in November 2021.

“Since the SC has set the next exams for November next year, the court will have sufficient time to designate a city in Mindanao as an additional test venue,” Rodriguez said in a statement.

“For aspiring lawyers in Mindanao, taking the exams in Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, or General Santos City would mean lesser expenses compared to traveling and staying for at least a month for the pre-week bar review in Cebu City or in Manila,” the lawmaker added.

Rodriguez pointed out that assuming the vaccine is already available or the COVID-19 pandemic is already over by November next year, people would still be suffering from loss of jobs and income and from incurring higher amounts of personal and household expenses due to the health crisis.

“So definitely, having the exams in more accessible and affordable places would benefit not only law graduates but their families as well,” Rodriguez said.

While the SC has already announced the date of the next Bar exams, it said examination periods and venues will be announced in a separate Bar Bulletin.

The 2020 Bar examination was postponed by the Supreme Court due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country, its social and economic effects, and the strict community quarantine.

EDV