Bar exams start today

CEBU, Philippines — Between 1,200 and 1,300 aspiring lawyers in Cebu are set to join thousands of examinees nationwide as the 2026 Philippine Bar Examinations begin today, September 6, with Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan urging Bar hopefuls to trust their preparation, hold on to their faith, and press forward.

Cebu’s examinees will take the Bar at the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Basak Campus, the province’s sole designated local testing center.

Nationwide, a record 13,441 examinees have been cleared to take this year’s Bar out of an initial pool of 14,291 registered applicants, according to the Supreme Court’s Office of the Bar Confidant.

The examinations will be held on September 6, 9, and, 13, in 15 local testing centers across the country.

In Cebu, security and traffic preparations have been tightened ahead of the examinations. The Cebu City Police Office will deploy 102 personnel at and around USJ-R Basak testing center starting 4 A.M. today to help ensure the safety and orderly movement of examinees and their companions.

Motorists passing through the Basak area are advised to expect traffic slowdowns and access restrictions during the examination days.

CCTO issued the advisory covering the examination dates from 2 A.M. to 7 P.M.

Traffic management measures will be implemented around USJ-R and along N. Bacalso Avenue to ensure the safe and orderly movement of Bar examinees, school personnel, and motorists.

These measures include designated drop-off areas, event lanes, and restricted access points in the vicinity of the examination venue.

Motorists traveling through Basak are urged to plan their trips ahead, allow extra travel time and use alternate routes to avoid possible delays. Drivers are also reminded to strictly follow the instructions of traffic personnel and authorized event marshals during the examination days.

The first day of the examinations will cover Political and Public International Law in the morning and Commercial and Taxation Laws in the afternoon.

On September 9, examinees will tackle Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds, and Labor Law and Social Legislation.

The final examination day on September 13 will cover Criminal Law and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics, and Practical Exercises.

As thousands of examinees prepare to face the first day of the examinations, Gaerlan reminded them that the Bar is not a competition against fellow examinees but a personal test of their readiness and perseverance.

In his message posted at the Supreme Court Facebook page titled “Faith and Hope: A Dream within Reach”, Gaerlan recognized the sacrifices, hardships and long hours that the examinees have endured in pursuing their dream of becoming lawyers.

He told the examinees that they had already given enough of their time, effort and themselves to the journey.

“I want to assure you that, whatever happens, you are enough,” Gaerlan said and he also acknowledged the doubts, uncertainty and fear that may arise as the examinees face what could be one of the biggest challenges of their lives.

Gaerlan assured the examinees that the Supreme Court and the people administering the examinations are not their adversaries.

“We, too, have prepared and dedicated ourselves to ensure that the Bar Examinations will be fair, safe, and free of anything which may taint its integrity,” he said.

He reminded the examinees that every member of the legal profession had gone through the same rigorous process.

The Bar, he said, is necessary to determine whether aspiring lawyers are ready to take on the greater responsibilities and heavier burdens of the profession, including the duty to uphold justice and serve their fellow Filipinos.

The 13,441 examinees cleared for this year’s Bar surpass the 13,193 registered applicants in 2025. Last year, 11,420 valid examinees took the examinations, with 5,594 eventually passing.

As Bar hopefuls head to their testing center on Sunday, Gaerlan left them with a final reminder to persevere.

“We have no other prayer than for you to attain the success you have yearned for. So, keep fighting. Carry on. Press forward. For yourself. For your dreams. For your family. For the country,” he further said. — (FREEMAN)