A record 11,437 candidates showed up for first day of the 2025 Bar Examinations on September 7, the highest single-day turnout in the history of the country’s licensure test for lawyers.
According to the Supreme Court (SC), this year’s total examinees nearly doubled the figure from a decade ago, with 5,214 first-time takers, 6,673 women, 206 senior citizens, and 241 persons with special needs.
The SC also reported that the youngest examinee is 24 years old, while the oldest is 80.
Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, chairperson of the 2025 Bar, announced the statistics in a press conference at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila, which serves as this year’s national headquarters.
She noted that while 13,193 individuals applied to take the exams, some withdrew before the opening day.
“With each question, I really prayed hard for discernment and wisdom that the Lord will guide me in helping you fulfill your lifelong dream of becoming lawyers,” Justice Javier told examinees.
The examinations are being conducted in 14 local testing centers nationwide—including Manila, Cebu, Davao, Baguio, Naga, Iloilo, Tacloban and Iligan—and are spread over three days on September 7, 10 and 14
Day 1 covered Political and Public International Law in the morning and Commercial and Taxation Laws in the afternoon, to be followed in the succeeding sessions by Civil Law, Labor Law, Criminal Law, Remedial Law, and Legal Ethics.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, speaking before law school deans, highlighted Bar reforms under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022–2027, including computer-based testing, regionalization, and the shift to problem-based questions.
“Each improvement to the Bar exams supports our broader mission to deliver justice effectively and efficiently,” Gesmundo said.
This year’s Bar exam also marks the first time a Multi-Agency Coordinating Center was established to oversee monitoring, security, and disaster preparedness, led by the Office of the Judiciary Marshals with support from law enforcement and emergency agencies across all 14 testing centers.
The SC added that a total of 2,389 personnel were deployed across the testing centers to ensure order and security.
Meanwhile, the results are expected to be released by early January 2026, with the oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys scheduled in February.
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