SC releases schedule, coverage of 2026 Bar Examinations

The Supreme Court has announced the schedule for the 2026 Bar Examinations that shall be held on September 6, 9, and 13, 2026 to test the Bar aspirants’ fundamental knowledge and practical applications of the country’s laws.

In its Bar Bulletin No. 1 dated Oct. 16, the SC said next year’s Bar Examinations shall assess the competence of aspiring lawyers “while upholding the highest standards of excellence and integrity that have long defined the institution.”

“The examination questions shall focus on critical thinking skills essential to legal practice and responsive to the modern demands of the legal profession. The questions shall likewise integrate contemporary issues and technology-related matters,” the five-page Bar bulletin said.

“They are designed to test not only the examinees’ fundamental knowledge of the law and its practical application, but also to gauge their readiness to dispense justice, serve the people, and contribute to the nation,” it added.

In his message to the 2026 Bar aspirants, SC Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, the 2026 Bar Exams chairperson, said the Bar Examinations shall be a process “that honors your efforts and a level playing field where only your competence and character will determine the outcome.”

He noted that the Bar aspirants’ decision to pursue studies and a career in law was not made lightly and has demanded everything from them through the years.

“This is not a test for the weak. Yet you are here, not by chance, but by choice, because you believe in the power of your purpose,” he said.

“Let me be clear: success in the Bar Examinations is not handed out. It is forged. It is #SuccessAchievedthroughMerit – earned through hard work, dedication, unshakeable integrity, and a refusal to settle for anything less than excellence. No shortcuts. No substitutes. No free passes. Only merit,” Gaerlan added.

He assured aspiring lawyers that they will not walk the path alone and that he, as chair of the 2026 Bar Examinations, will be with them every step of the way.

“I promise you an #AweSAMbar2026 – a crucible worthy of your sacrifice, a proving ground to reveal the best of who you are,” Gaerlan said.

The three-day Bar Examinations shall cover six subjects and shall consist of 20 essay-type questions. The morning session shall be from 8 a.m. to 12 n.n. while the afternoon session shall be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Answer shall be graded from 0 to 100%, or 5% per question. An examinee is required to score an average of 75% in all subjects to pass the Bar Examinations.

The schedule is as follows:

• Sept. 6, 2026, morning session: Political and Public International Law (15%); afternoon session: Commercial and Taxation Laws (20%);
• Sept. 9, 2026, morning session: Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds (20%); afternoon session: Labor Law and Social Legislation (10%);
• Sept. 13, 2026, morning session: Criminal Law (10%); afternoon session: Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics, with Practical Exercises (25%).

As with previous Bar Examinations, the 2026 Bar Examinations shall be localized and digitized, with examinations to be administered through electronic means in designated local testing centers across the country.

“Details relating to the application requirements and other procedures, software specifications, venues of local testing centers, and other guidelines in the conduct of the 2026 Bar Examinations shall be provided in subsequent Bar Bulletins,” Bar Bulletin No. 1 added.

Questions and concerns may be directed to the Office of the Bar Confidant (OBC) Help Desk at (02) 8552 9690, while Bar applicants and the public may check the SC’s verified social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), its official Viber channel and its microsite for updates on the 2026 Bar Examinations. — JMA, GMA Integrated News