Republic of the Philippines
SUPREME COURT
Manila

B.M. No. 1161             February 3, 2009

Re: Proposed Reform in the Bar Examinations

Sirs/Mesdames:

Quoted hereunder, for your information, is a resolution of this Court dated February 3, 2009.

"Bar Matter No. 1161.- Re: Proposed Reform in the Bar Examinations. - The Court Resolved, upon the recommendation of the Committee on Legal Education and Bar Matters, to APPROVE, the proposal of Atty. Ma, Cristina B. Layusa, Deputy Clerk of Court and Bar Confidant, regarding the (1) implementation of Paragraph 4 Part B of Bar Matter No. 1161, or the designation of two (2) examiner per Bar subject; and (2) increase in the honorarium of the examiners from P130.00 to P200.00 per booklet.

Hence, every Bar subject shall be divided into two (2) parts - Part I and Part II. Each examiner shall be assigned a specific scope from which to formulate his/her questions. The time allotted for each Bar subject of four (4) hours for the morning subjects and three (3) hours for the afternoon subjects shall not change. In answering the questions, the Bar examinees have the discretion in utilizing the time allotted for answering. Thus they may opt to begin answering a particular part of the examination which he or she feels is relatively easier that the others.

As with the previous Bar examinations, only one set of test questionnaire and one examination booklet for each Bar subject shall be given to each Bar examinee. Each examination booklet shall also be divided into two (2) parts, marked as Part I and Part II, where the answers are to be written corresponding to Part I and Part II of the questionnaire, respectively. A separated card for the grades or rating received by the Bar examinee for each part of the examination shall be attached to the front cover of the booklets marked as Part I and Part II. Upon review and correction of the two examiners' respective part of the examination, the attached card shall be detached immediately thereafter before transmittal to the other examiner for review and correction of the other part of the examination. This is to ensure that the other examiner would not be influenced by the grade or rating given by the other.

In this connection, there shall be an increase in the honorarium of the Bar examiners from P130.00 to 200.00 per booklet per Bar subject or P100 per booklet per examiner." (adv132)

Very truly yours,

(Sgd.)
MA. LUISA D. VILLARAMA
      Clerk of Court