Over 1,000 aspiring lawyers take 2026 Bar Exams in Cordillera

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — More than 1,000 aspiring lawyers are taking the September 2026 Bar Examinations at Saint Louis University (SLU) in Baguio City, one of the designated testing centers in the country.

The three-day Bar examinations are being held on September 6, 9 and 13, 2026, with the remaining testing days expected to bring heavy traffic around the SLU campus.

On the first day, 12,029 of the 13,441 admitted applicants nationwide took the examination at 15 designated testing centers, including 1,132 examinees at SLU, according to the report.

To ensure a safe and orderly examination, the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PRO-CAR) deployed 441 police personnel to provide security and assistance to examinees and the public.

Of the deployed personnel, 196 came from the Baguio City Police Office, 133 from the Benguet Police Provincial Office, and 112 from the PRO-CAR regional headquarters.

Police personnel also distributed chocolates to examinees as a gesture of support and appreciation for their perseverance in pursuing the legal profession.

With two examination days remaining, PRO-CAR advised the public to expect possible traffic congestion and delays along A. Bonifacio Street in Barangay ABCR, particularly near the SLU Main Gate, from 4 to 8 a.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. on September 9 and 13.

Motorists were advised to use alternate routes, allow extra travel time and plan their trips early.

The Supreme Court also reported that the youngest Bar examinee this year is 24 years old, while the oldest is 84. The 2026 Bar also includes 285 senior citizens and 304 persons with disabilities.

2025 Bar results

In the 2025 Bar Examinations, 5,594 of 11,420 qualified examinees passed nationwide, posting a 48.98-percent passing rate, according to the Supreme Court.

For Kalinga, 18 graduates of Kalinga State University College of Law were recognized as 2025 Bar passers during the university's testimonial dinner in February 2026.

SLU, meanwhile, recorded a 97.14-percent passing rate among its first-time examinees, with 34 of 35 first-time takers passing the 2025 Bar.