A total of 1,310 out of the 6,364 examinees from 108 law schools nationwide passed the 2008 Bar examinations held on September 7, 14, 21, and 28 last year at the De La Salle University in Taft Avenue, Manila.  

Judy A. Lardizabal of San Sebastian College law school topped with a rating of 85.70% bar rating. Justice Dante O. Tinga chaired the 2008 Committee on Bar Examinations.

Justice Tinga said the number of those who passed represented 20.58% of the total examinees. The exams were administered through Deputy Clerk of Court and Bar Confidant Atty. Ma. Cristina B. Layusa.

The top 10 Bar passers are:

The list of successful Bar examinees is being shown on three LCD monitors set up at the Supreme Court lobby and can simultaneously be viewed at http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph, (Complete list of Bar passers) the official website of the Supreme Court.

Justice Tinga announced that the examiners are Atty. Juanito G. Arcilla (Political and International Law), Atty. Salvador A. Poquiz (Labor and Social Legislation), Atty. Cynthia R. Del Castillo (Civil Law), Atty. Victorino C. Mamalateo (Taxation), Justice Sixto C. Marella, Jr. (Mercantile Law), Justice Rodolfo G. Palattao (Criminal Law), Justice Lucas P. Bersamin (Remedial Law), and Justice Franciso P. Acosta (Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises).

Oathtaking of the successful bar candidates is set at 2 p.m. on April 28, 2009, at the Philippine International Convention Center.

The Bar passers may secure their clearances from the Office of the Bar Confidant during office hours, Monday to Friday, beginning April 7 to 27, 2009, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Justice Antonio Eduardo B. Nachura is the Chairperson of the 2009 Committee on Bar Examinations.

The Supreme Court annually conducts the Bar examinations pursuant to its constitutional mandate to promulgate rules governing, among others, the admission to the practice of law.

A total of 6,560 law graduates have filed their petitions to take the 2008 Bar exams; 6,533 were admitted.  

The Rules of Court provide that “a candidate may be deemed to have passed his examination successfully if he has obtained a general average of 75% in all subjects without falling below 50% in any subject.” In determining the average, subjects in the examinations are given the following relative weights: Political and International Law, 15%; Labor and Social Legislation, 10%; Civil Law, 15%; Taxation, 10%; Mercantile Law, 15%; Criminal Law, 10%; Remedial Law, 20%; and Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises, 5%, for a total of 100%.

The process of decoding began right after an en banc meeting of the Supreme Court Friday morning where the passing percentage of this year's bar was deliberated on.

Last year, the passing rate was 22.91% which represents only more than 1,200 passers of the more than 5,600 who took the bar. That was lower than the 2006 passing rate of 30.6%.

The passing rate had to be adjusted and lowered to 70% from the usual 75% because of the very few number of passers.

Given the strictness of the examiners or the checkers of the exams last year, only about 280 examinees would have passed the 2007 bar had the passing rate not been lowered.

The bar is said to be the toughest licensure exams in the country. -- with a report from WILLARD CHENG, ABS-CBN News