Nearly 800 law graduates failed to show up during first day of the 2022 Bar examinations on Wednesday in 14 local testing centers (LTCs) nationwide.
Based on the data released by the Office of the Bar Chairperson, of 10,006 examinees who participated in the venue selection, 92.03 percent or 9,209 showed up.
The SC said 797 qualified examinees were absent.
The National Capital Region (NCR) has the highest number of Bar examinees who failed to take the first day of the exams.
At the Ateneo de Manila University where 2,529 Bar examinees where supposed to take the exams, only 2,234 were present, while 295 did not show up.
The attendance in other LTCs in NCR is as follows: San Beda University, 579 out of 600 (21 were absent); De La Salle University, 762 out of 794 (32 were absent); Manila Adventist College, 332 out of 350 (18 were absent); University of the Philippines-Bonifacio Global City, 637 out of 680 (43 were absent).
In LTCs in Luzon, the attendance is as follows: Saint Louis University, 967 out of 1,000 (53 were absent); De La Salle Lipa 35 out of 366 (33 were absent); and University of Nueva Caceres (439 out of 465 (26 were absent).
Meanwhile, the attendance in LTC’s in Visayas is as follows; University of San Carlos, 493 out of 530 (37 were absent); University of Cebu-Banilad, 708 out of 789 (81 were absent); Dr. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation, 361 out of 392 (31 were absent).
In Mindanao LTCs, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, 440 out of 464 (24 were absent); Ateneo de Davao University, 706 out of 780 (74 were absent); and Ateneo de Zamboanga University, 238 out of 267 (29 were absent).
The succeeding dates of the Bar examinations are on November 13, 16, and 20, 2022 under a “regionalized and digitalized” set up which was first adopted in the 2020-2021 Bar exams held in February of this year.
The SC decided to use the said set up in the 2020 and 2021 Bar exams due to the health and travel restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
2022 Bar Examinations Committee Chairperson and Supreme Court Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa said the first day of the Bar exams “went well and smoothly.”
SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka said Justice Caguiao is hoping for the same results in the remaining Bar exam days.
The SC earlier announced that it would refund the bar fees of law graduates who are scheduled to take the 2022 Bar exams but would not be able to do so due to the aftermath of severe tropical storm “Paeng.”
The SC decided to push through with the Bar exams following an assessment made on the extent of damage and possible effects of Paeng on the conduct of the exams.
The SC stressed that it considered both the concerns of those who have been affected by the recent calamity and those who are keen on taking the exams as scheduled.
The Court also took into consideration the hundreds of personnel and volunteers who have already made prior arrangements in order to serve and contribute to the success of the Bar examinations this November.