BAR BULLETIN NO. 1
Office of the Bar Confidant
Supreme Court of the Philippines
December 7, 2012
2. Examination Dates: Four Sundays of October 2013:
October 6:
8 a.m. - 12 noon - Political Law
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Labor Law
October 13:
8 a.m. - 12 noon - Civil Law
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Taxation
October 20:
8 a.m. - 12 noon - Commercial Law
2 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Criminal Law
October 27:
8 a.m. - 12 noon - Remedial Law
2 p.m. - 6 p.m - Legal Ethics
3. Coverage: Questions shall strictly fall within the defmed Syllabus for every subject. The Syllabi shall be released through a Bar Bulletin or before December 31, 2012. The cut-off for Supreme Court decisions covered by the 2013 Bar Examinations shall be January 31, 2013.
4. Exam Structure and Format of Questions
a. The Examination shall consist of 20% Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and 80% Essay-type questions.
b. Whether MCQ or essay, the questions shall be based on a given set of facts, presented as briefly but as clearly and completely as possible, taking into account that every examinee needs reading, understanding, consideration of the applicable law, and answering time for every question.
The whole examination should be answerable by the average bar examinee within 3 .5 hours (21 0 minutes) to allow him or her 30 minutes of review time.
c. The basic elements of problem solving that the Examiners shall particularly look for are: the examinee's (1) proper understanding and appreciation of the facts, particularly of the components or details that can be material in resolving the given problem; (2) his or her appreciation of the applicable law/s that may come into play; (3) recognition of the issuels posed; and the ( 4) resolution of the issues through the analysis and application of the law to the given facts. The examinee's presentation and articulation of his or her answer shall also be given weight.
d. The 20o/o MCQ portion of the examination shall be divided into 4 or 5 main fact situations from which the MCQ questions shall be asked.
The 80% essay portion of the exam shall be divided into eight (8) divisions of ten (10) points each, with a maximum of two facts per division from which question shall be drawn.
The corresponding weight of each question shall properly be indicated in the questionnaire, together with estimated answering time, to allow the examinee proper allotment of his or her exam time.
5. Communications
a. All administrative matters relating to the Bar Examinations shall be handled by and shall be coursed through the Supreme Court's Office of the Bar Confidant's (OBC). All communications should be addressed to the Office of the Bar Confidant c/o Atty. Tina Layusa, SC Bar Confidant.
b. The OBC can be reached at landline number (02) 5257929; (02) 5268122; (02) 5268119; cellular phone number 09088864293; and by e-mail at baroffice@sc.judiciary.gov.ph.
It holds office at the Supreme Court, Padre Faura, Manila, and is open at regular office hours on regular working days. All inquiries regarding the Bar Examinations should be directed at the OBC. Interested parties are urged to first communicate with the OBC by phone or by email to determine if the need exists for them to personally go to the OBC.
c. The Bar Confidant shall act as Spokesperson for the Bar Examinations and shall handle all announcements and relations with the media, with the law schools, and with examinees. Public announcements shall be through Bar Bulletins issued by the OBC at the SC website: sc.judiciary.gov.ph.
