BAR BULLETIN No. 1 - October 16, 2025 - Conduct of the 2026 Bar Examinations - Modality, Schedule, Coverage, and Syllabi

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Mabel

BAR Bulletin No. 1 (October 16, 2025) sets the framework for the Republic of the Philippines Supreme Court’s conduct of the 2026 Bar Examinations. It explains the governing mandate and the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (2022–2027), describes localization and digital administration in secure testing centers, and provides the compressed three-day schedule with session times. The bulletin also details six core subjects and their weights, coverage rules and syllabus cut-off, examination format and scoring, passing requirements, examiner structure, and official channels for verified updates.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages62

Reading Time2 h 36 min

AccessFree to download

Modality

Digitalized local testing centers

Schedule and Coverage

Compressed dates and session times

Core subjects and weights

Syllabi, law coverage, and cut-off rules

Examiners and Other Matters

Examiner committee and subject assignments

Exam format, scoring, and passing requirement

Official Information Channels

Help Desk contact and official sources

Republic of the Philippines Supreme Court Manila OFFICE OF THE 2026 BAR CHAIRPERSON BAR BULLETIN No. 1 October 16, 2025 CONDUCT OF THE 2026 BAR EXAMINATIONS: MODALITY, SCHEDULE, COVERAGE, AND SYLLABI The Constitution vests in the Supreme Court the solemn duty to safeguard the gateway to the legal profession. In fulfillment of this mandate, the Court remains steadfast in ensuring that the Bar Examinations evolve and stay relevant, and conscientious in administering them in such a way that every qualified Filipino, regardless of location or circumstance, has equal opportunity to pursue their calling. The conduct of the 2026 Bar Examinations is guided by the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), which serves as the Court’s roadmap for enhancing inclusivity, accessibility, and efficiency in the Judiciary for all stakeholders. The SPJI embodies a commitment to modernizing how aspiring lawyers are assessed in their competence while upholding the highest standards of excellence and integrity that have long defined the institution. The reforms implemented in the previous Bar Examinations – from 2020/2021 to 2025 – have proven their value and are no longer interim measures. They have been codified through A.M. No. 24-10-05-SC,1 amending Rule 138 of the Rules of Court. This landmark enactment guarantees that the gains achieved in recent years have been incorporated as salient features of the bar admission process, aimed to benefit not only this batch but those who will follow. 1 Re: 2025 Proposed Amendments to Rule 138 of the Rules of Court, approved on August 12, 2025. Modality The 2026 Bar Examinations shall be localized and digitalized. The examinations shall be conducted in local testing centers across the country2 and administered by electronic means, using an appropriate, secure, and reliable assessment platform.3 Schedule and Coverage Barring any unforeseeable circumstance or fortuitous event that might warrant rescheduling, the 2026 Bar Examinations shall follow a compressed schedule of three (3) days4 on September 6, 9, and 13, 2026. The examinations shall cover six (6) core subjects,5 with two (2) subjects taken per day. The morning session shall be from 8:00 [a.m. to](a.m. to) 12:00 noon, and the afternoon session shall be from 2:00 [p.m. to](p.m. to) 6:00 p.m. The complete schedule, subjects, and respective weights are presented in the table below:6 | DAY 1
September 6, 2026 (Sunday) | | | | --- | --- | --- | | AM | Political and Public International Law | 15% | | PM | Commercial and Taxation Laws | 20% | | DAY 2
September 9, 2026 (Wednesday) | | | | AM | Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds | 20% | | PM | Labor Law and Social Legislation | 10% | | DAY 3
September 13, 2026 (Sunday) | | | | AM | Criminal Law | 10% | | PM | Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics, with Practical Exercises | 25% | Attached to this Bulletin are the comprehensive syllabi of the core subjects, setting out specific provisions of law and key legal principles. All examination questions shall be sourced only from laws, rules, issuances, and jurisprudence as of June 30, 2025. 2 Section 9, Rule 138, as amended. 3 Section 8, Rule 138, as amended. 4 Section 9, Rule 138, as amended. 5 Section 7, Rule 138, as amended. 6 Sections 9 and 10, Rule 138, as amended. Laws that were repealed or superseded on or before the cut-off date are automatically excluded from the coverage. For jurisprudence, examinees are expected to master only the doctrines and dispositions rendered in the main opinion. Concurring and dissenting opinions are not included unless specifically indicated in the syllabi. Computations may be required for certain topics; however, they shall be grounded in a theoretical understanding of the concepts and necessitate only basic mathematical skills. Examiners and Other Matters A committee of examiners, composed of the 2026 Bar Chairperson and the Bar Examiners, shall ov

FAQs

How will the 2026 Bar Examinations be administered?

The examinations will be localized and digitalized, conducted in local testing centers across the country and administered electronically using a secure and reliable assessment platform.

What is the schedule and what subjects are covered?

The exams run for three days on September 6, 9, and 13, 2026, with morning and afternoon sessions. Six core subjects are covered, with two subjects taken per day and specified percentage weights.

How is the examination graded and what is the passing requirement?

There are twenty essay-type questions across all subjects, graded from 0% to 100% (or 5% per question). An examinee must obtain a general average of 75% in all subjects to pass.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Mabel