SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES / STOCK
MANILA, Philippines — In deciding to push through with the 2022 Bar examinations, the Office of the Bar Chairman has taken into consideration the people that will be affected as well as the ripple effects especially to the schedule of the 2023 Bar Examination.
“For purposes of ensuring the fairness of each decision that may be made with respect to the Bar Examinations, the Court, in balancing the needs of all the examinees, has considered both those who may have been adversely affected by STS Paeng and are informally requesting its postponement, as well as those who are keen on taking it as scheduled, lest their lives be put on hold for longer,” Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa said in a statement Thursday.
It added that “The Court also recognizes that it must consider the hundreds of personnel and volunteers who have rearranged their professional and personal lives in order to serve and contribute to the success of the Bar Examinations this November.”
In a recently issued Bar Bulletin, the Supreme Court said it is aware of the appeals aired mostly on social media to postpone the examination set on November 9, 13, 16, and 20. It also said that the office of Associate Justice and 2022 Bar Exams Committee Chair Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa assessed and surveyed all the 14 local testing centers (LTCs) and the local government units (LGUs) where the testing centers are located to check if they are capable and ready to still hold the exam as scheduled.
The SC said all the LGUs and LTCs categorically indicated that they remain prepared and ready to participate in the Bar exams as scheduled.
“Far from impervious to the needs and struggles of the examinees who are struggling in the aftermath of severe tropical storm Paeng, and as the Court fully understands that this may not restore to the affected examinees the true cost of their preparations for the Bar examinations, it deems it right that examinees who may be unable to take the 2022 Bar examinations as scheduled for the foregoing reason may apply for a refund of their Bar fees with the Office of the Bar Confidant,” the SC added.
The SC said if not a refund, the examinees may apply the 2022 fees to the 2023 Bar examinations set in September.
A total of 9,916 law graduates are expected to take the Bar examinations set on November 9, 13, 16 and 20.
Like the 2020/2021 Bar examination, the upcoming Bar exam has adopted the “regionalized and digitalized” set-up.