3,812 applicants pass 2023 Bar exams

A total of 3,812 out of 10,387 examinees passed the 2023 Bar examinations, the Supreme Court announced Tuesday.

This is lower than 3,992 passers last year.

Click here for the complete list of passers

In a press conference, Bar chairperson Justice Ramon Hernando said this translates to a 36.77% overall passing percentage.

“It’s not really a downward result no, number, comparing to last year’s bar. It’s only about 6 percentage points,” he said.

“But I would say, I would think based on what I have seen from the numbers between Bar examiners that it’s not far off from the… immediately receiving bar,” he added.

Ephraim Porciuncula Bie from the University of the Santo Tomas topped the Bar exams with a score of 89.2625%.

He was followed by Mark Josel Padual Vivit from Ateneo de Manila University with a score of 89.1250% while Frances Camille Altonaga Francisco from San Beda University placed third with a score of 88.9125%.

Meanwhile, the top five law schools with more than 100 first-time candidates are the following: 

• Ateneo de Manila University - 159 passers out of 169 takers, 94.08%
• San Beda University -  130 passers out of 141 takers, 92.20%
• University of San Carlos - 170 passers out of 187 takers, 90.91%
• University of the Philippines - 229 passers out of 256 takers, 89.45%
• University of Santo Tomas - 104 out of 122 takers, 85.25%

The following are the top law schools with 51 to 100 first-time takers:

• University of Cebu - 46 passers out of 60 takers, 76.67%
• Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan - 56 passers out of 78 takers, 71.79%
• Far Eastern University - 43 passers out of 73 takers, 58.90%
• University of San Jose-Recoletos - 48 passers out of 99 takers, 48.48%
• Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation - 38 passers out of 84 takers, 45.24%

When asked for his message to those who did not pass, Hernando advised them to consider it as a challenge.

“To do more. To exert more. And, really, to dream more. Because it’s not the end of the road for those of you who did not win,” he said.

Hernando said the Office of the Bar Chairperson finished checking the Bar examinations within 60 days.

“And it’s a promise that we kept from the very start,” he said.

“I was speaking to them [examinees] last year, once you graduate next year, you’ll be taking your Bar in September, you’ll have early results in December and you’ll be having your oathtaking and oath-signing all in the same year,” he said.

The Court previously said that 96.26% of the applicants expected to arrive for the 2023 Bar examinations completed the three-day tests in September.

According to the SC, a total of 10,387 out of 10,791 applicants completed the exams.

The SC said that the Bar oath-taking and roll-signing will take place on December 22.—AOL, GMA Integrated News