OFFICIAL: Bar Exam Results 2019 (Released April 29, 2020)

Congratulations to the new lawyers! Find out below if you or someone you know passed the Philippine Bar Exam.

Every year, hundreds of Bar Exam hopefuls troop to the Supreme Court (SC) grounds in Padre Faura, Manila to personally find out whether they passed the arguably one of the toughest exams in the country. It will surely be a different scenario this year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SC has issued a directive that the list of passers will just be posted online. This means, for this year, there will be no screens displaying the names of passers, no Bar Ops (Bar Operations) from various schools, no barrage of people in the SC premises as has been the tradition in the past.

When the results are announced today, “no visitors shall be allowed to enter the Supreme Court compound and the list of bar passers will not be displayed in the premises,” according to Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe, the 2019 Bar Chairperson.

So if you’re quarantined at home eagerly and anxiously waiting to know the results of the Bar Exam held last November 2019, just refer to the list of passers below sourced from the SC.

UPDATE (April 29, 2020): The Supreme Court has announced the results! This year’s passing rate is 27.36%. A total of 2,103 examinees out of 7,685 takers have passed. Scroll below to view the complete List of Passers, Topnotchers, and Best Performing Schools as released by the SC!

ADDITIONAL UPDATE: The Bar Exams this year, scheduled to be held this November 2020, has been announced to be postponed to a later date in 2021. The new final schedule will be announced by the Supreme Court by June 2020, but will definitely not be held this year but instead will be conducted next year 2021. There will also likely be two Bar Exam locations: one in Metro Manila and another one in Cebu. (Source: Rappler)

Looking for a job as a lawyer? Check out job vacancies for lawyers here in the Philippines. Just scroll down to the section “Job Opportunities for Lawyers” below. Good luck!

Make sure you like the Board Exam Results Facebook page to receive updates and announcements related to the Philippine Bar Exam!

Oath-Taking and Signing of the Roll of Attorneys

The oathtaking of successful Bar examinees will be announced later. The start of processing of clearances will also be announced soon. The Supreme Court reminds all Bar passers to immediately secure their clearances from the Office of the Bar Confidant (OBC) prior to the scheduled oathtaking ceremony; otherwise, they may not be allowed to attend the oathtaking.

In previous years, Bar passers were asked to prepare the following to facilitate the processing of clearance and oathtaking:

• i. Payment of P6,050 — representing P3,850 for oath fees and P2,200 for dues to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), including building fund;
• ii. For the processing of clearance, bring three (3) valid IDs: one for security and the two for presentation to the OBC.

Signing in the Roll of Attorneys is scheduled to begin at a later month and the exact dates will be announced soon.

Get updates regarding the Bar oathtaking by following the Board Exam Results Facebook page.

Tips to Pass the Philippine Bar Exam

If you unfortunately did not pass the Bar exam, don’t worry. Don’t lose hope and try again next time. To help you get back up, here are tips and inspirational messages from previous Bar Exam passers, including those who topped the Bar in recent years!

One of the most inspiring stories in the past Bar exams was that of Ramil Comendador, a former janitor who successfully passed the exam in 2016.

For several years, Ramil worked as a janitor at the Comelec office in Malabon, but this did not stop him from pursuing his ambition of becoming a lawyer. He decided to enroll in law school and, while still working as a janitor, studied law at the Universidad de Manila in Ermita. For five years, his motivation as a law student never wavered even if he was constantly away from his wife and kids who were living in Bicol.

During the 2016 bar exam results announcement, he was one of hundreds of examinees who braved the sun and patiently waited to see the names of passers being flashed on the screen at the SC premises in Padre Faura. He recalled that he was heartbroken when he didn’t see his name displayed on screen. But when he got hold of a printed list of passers being handed out, he couldn’t contain his excitement and screamed for joy when he saw he was actually on the list.

Crying while being interviewed by the media, he shared this message to other Filipinos:

“Kaya nating putulin ang cycle ng kahirapan, magsumikap lang po. Edukasyon lang ho talaga. Huwag isiping mahirap. Sige lang at kumapit sa Panginoon.”

He narrated that he had to sacrifice a lot just to get by, including scrimping on basic necessities such as clothes.

“Sa totoo lang po, ultimo damit po hindi po ako bumibili, makapag-tuition lang,” recalled Ramil.

Meanwhile, for 2018 Bar Exam 1st placer Sean James Borja, who garnered that year’s top score of 89.3060, although it was his dream to top the Bar, he still considered the 4-week exam a very challenging and life-changing experience.

He considers the Bar the culmination of several grueling years studying law at the Ateneo de Manila School of Law. He says law schools have a way of weeding out those who don’t have the heart and passion to actually become a lawyer. Law school is “not a test of natural brilliance,” he says. “It is a test of resilience, character, and tenacity.”

As such, the experience made him assess if he really wanted to “stick to the bitter end.” So what motivated him to persevere to reach his dream of becoming a lawyer?

“I had practically no voice in grade school,” he shared in an interview with TV personality Boy Abunda. “I could not speak my truth. I could not speak my story. Eventually that desire to find my voice became finding a voice for other people; finding the courage to tell the truth of other people.”

Here’s a video of Sean being interviewed in an ABS-CBN TV show after the former topped the Bar exam.

Another Bar topnotcher, Nielson Pangan, who placed 1st during the Bar Exam in 2013 with a score of 85.800, shared his secret on how to pass the exam:

“Talagang subsob po nung Bar review,” he said. “Morning hanggang evening, nasa library.”

According to him, he strictly followed a study timetable, complete with a monthly calendar that mapped out which law subjects he ought to be reviewing. He even deactivated his Facebook account to keep himself away from distractions, only opening and activating it to get updates from other bar reviewees and friends.

Listen to his study tips and tricks in this interview with Jessica Soho of GMA News TV.

Since we won’t witness this year the excitement from Bar Exam hopefuls and their relatives on the grounds of the Supreme Court, relive in the video below the past years’ exuberant moments of examinees in optimistic anticipation of the Bar results.

List of 2019 Bar Exam Topnotchers

Congratulations to the top placers in the 2019 Bar Exam! The complete list of topnotchers is as follows.

*UPDATE (April 29, 2020): The SC has announced the results. This year’s Bar Exam passing rate is 27.36%. A total of 2,103 examinees out of 7,685 takers have passed. Complete list of passers is now being posted. Refresh this page for updates!

This year’s Bar Topnocher is Mae Diane Azores of University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi who achieved a grade of 91.049%.

Best Performing Schools in 2019 Bar Exam

Which schools had the highest passing rates in the recently concluded exam? Check out the list below of the best performing schools:

*UPDATE (April 29, 2020): The SC has announced the results. This year’s Bar Exam passing rate is 27.36%. A total of 2,103 examinees out of 7,685 takers have passed. Complete list of passers is now being posted. Refresh this page for updates!

Bar Exam Results (2019): Complete List of Passers

Want to find out if you or someone you know is now a lawyer?

Simply scroll below to search for the name or press “Ctrl+F” on your keyboard or use the “Find in Page” function in your browser. Congrats if you passed the exam!

PHILIPPINE BAR EXAMINATION
Official List of Passers (Source: Supreme Court of the Philippines)
Held on November 3, 10, 17, 24, 2019
Released on April 29, 2020

*UPDATE (April 29, 2020): The SC has announced the results. This year’s Bar Exam passing rate is 27.36%. A total of 2,103 examinees out of 7,685 takers have passed. Complete list of passers is now being posted. Refresh this page for updates!

Job Opportunities for Lawyers in the Philippines

Now that you’ve passed the Bar exam, you’re likely considering to take a job soon as a practicing lawyer.

To help you get started, we compiled below some job vacancies in the government and the private sector posted in various job websites in the Philippines. This list is intended to give you an idea of the qualifications, job description, and salary associated with being a lawyer.

Happy job hunting!

Job Vacancy: Attorney II

• Government Agency: PHILIPPINE COMPETITION COMMISSION (NCR)
• Place of Assignment: PCC Office, 25/F Vertis North Corporate Center 1, North Avenue, Quezon City
• Plantilla Item No.: PHCC-ATY2-5-2016
• Salary Grade: JG-8
• Monthly Salary: Php 49,796.00
• Eligibility: RA 1080 (BAR)
• Education: Bachelor of Laws
• Training: None required
• Work Experience: None required
• Interested and qualified applicants should signify their interest in writing. Attach the following documents to the application letter:
• 1. Fully accomplished Personal Data Sheet (PDS) with recent passport-sized picture (CS Form No. 212, Revised 2017) which can be downloaded at www.csc.gov.ph;
• 2. Performance rating in the last rating period (if applicable);
• 3. Photocopy of certificate of eligibility/rating/license; and
• 4. Photocopy of Transcript of Records.
• You may hand in or send through courier/email your application to:
• Antonia Lynnely L. Bautista
• Chief Administrative Officer
• PCC Office 25F Vertis North Corporate Center 1
• careers@phcc.gov.ph
• Source: Civil Service Commission

Job Vacancy: Attorney III

• Government Agency: City Legal Office (Tagaytay)
• Place of Assignment: Tagaytay City, Cavite (Region IV)
• Plantilla Item No.: 194
• Salary Grade: 21
• Monthly Salary: Php 54,915.00
• Eligibility: RA 1080 (BAR)
• Education: Bachelor of Laws
• Training: 1 year of relevant experience
• Work Experience: 4 Hours of relevant training
• Interested and qualified applicants should signify their interest in writing. Attach the following documents to the application letter:
• 1. Fully accomplished Personal Data Sheet (PDS) with recent passport-sized picture (CS Form No. 212, Revised 2017) which can be downloaded at www.csc.gov.ph;
• 2. Performance rating in the last rating period (if applicable);
• 3. Photocopy of certificate of eligibility/rating/license; and
• 4. Photocopy of Transcript of Records.
• You may hand in or send through courier/email your application to:
• ALMA A. MALABANAN
• HRMO
• Akle St. Kaybagal South, Tagaytay City
• hrmo_tagaytay@yahoo.com
• Source: Civil Service Commission

Job Vacancy: Attorney IV

• Government Agency: City Legal Office (Agusan del Sur)
• Place of Assignment: AGUSAN DEL SUR (CARAGA Region)
• Plantilla Item No.: L-01
• Salary Grade: 23
• Monthly Salary: Php 60,287.00
• Eligibility: Rule 138, Rules of Court (Lawyer)
• Education: Bachelor of Laws
• Training: 8 hours of relevant training
• Work Experience: 2 years of relevant experience
• Competency:
• CORE: 1. Demonstrating Service Excellence; 2. Accountability; 3. Professionalism; 4. Integrity;
• ORGANIZATIONAL: 1. Adaptability and Flexibility; 2. Communication Skills; 3. Continuous Learning; 4. Results Orientation
• LEADERSHIP: 1. Decision-Making; 2. Team Leadership; 3. Conflict Management; 4. Directing and Managing Change
• TECHNICAL: 1. Attention to Detail; 2. Analytical Thinking; 3. Technical and Legal Writing; 4. Fiscal Management
• Interested and qualified applicants should signify their interest in writing. Attach the following documents to the application letter:
• 1. Fully accomplished Personal Data Sheet (PDS) with recent passport-sized picture (CS Form No. 212, Revised 2017) which can be downloaded at www.csc.gov.ph;
• 2. Performance rating in the last rating period (if applicable);
• 3. Photocopy of certificate of eligibility/rating/license; and
• 4. Photocopy of Transcript of Records.
• You may hand in or send through courier/email your application to:
• RODEL L. BERSALOTE
• City Government Department Head I
• CGO BAYUGAN, AGUSAN DEL SUR
• City Human Resource Management Office, LGU-Bayugan City
• Email: lgubayugancity@yahoo.com
• Source: Civil Service Commission

Job Vacancy: Corporate Lawyer (IBM)

• Company: IBM Philippines
• Place of Assignment: BGC, Taguig City
• Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree
• Position Type: Professional
• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Contract Type: Regular
• Req ID: 310822BR
• Job Description:
• 1. You will be responsible for the following: review of various policies, corporate documents, contracts, RFP/RFI, financing documents and other documents necessary for the businesses and operation of the Company; provide legal advice and support in addressing queries and/or conflicts involving interpretation of contracts, laws/rulings/regulations applicable to the Company and to the IBM businesses in the Philippines; provide legal services and support on matters involving but not limited to compliance (external and internal), regulatory, financing, ethics, discipline, employment-related functions, audit, data privacy, litigation; manage external legal resources.
• 2. You will ensure documentation is maintained, and that organizational memory is retained, within the corporate business group.
• 3. You will provide education on contracts and compliance issues (including business integrity, ethics, FCPA, AMLA and PEZA).
• 4. You will perform a vendor and customer facing role.
• 5. You will perform legal services and support as the General Counsel directs/instructs.
• Required Technical and Professional Expertise:
• 1. Absolute commitment to business integrity and ethical conduct.
• 2. A degree in law and license to practice law in the Philippines.
• 3. Minimum 8 years legal experience in the Philippines, preferably solid in-house counsel experience.
• 4. Demonstrated ability to influence policy-making and business decision making for the benefit or advantage of IBM.
• 5. Preferably with demonstrated success in negotiating large and complex deals in complex situations.
• 6. Strong ability to multi-task and perform administrative matters for the Legal Department.
• 7. Preferably with experience in international contracting matters and financing.
• 8. Previous exposure in IT-related industry is an advantage.
• Preferred Professional and Technical Expertise
• 1. Can work in an Agile environment
• 2. Excellent drafting and negotiations skills.
• 3. Ability to give advice with an eye as to the commercials of a matter.
• 4. Able to work in a dynamic and fast paced environment, and to meet critical deadlines.
• 5. Able to work well both independently and as part of a team.
• 6. Able to communicate well and work in a cross-functional team to achieve common goals.
• 7. Able to identify and escalate issues timely and appropriately.
• 8. Strong analytical and communication skills.
• 9. Independent and self-motivated.
• 10. Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• 11. Extensive Experience in an Agile Environment
• 12. Strong experience doing in-house legal work.
• Apply here: IBM Philippines Careers

Job Vacancy: Corporate Lawyer (Carpo Law & Associates)

• Company: Carpo Law & Associates
• Place of Assignment: BGC, Taguig City
• Employment type: Full-time
• Start date: Immediately
• Salary: Dependent on experience
• Job Description:
• 1. Answer inquiries of potential clients via email and phone
• 2. Meet and deal directly with new clients
• 3. Create and send proposals to clients
• 4. Manage client engagements
• Required Experience:
• 1. General corporate law
• 2. General tax law
• 3. Business formation and corporate registration
• 4. Tax incentives availment
• 5. Advice on tax issues in relation to inbound investments
• Preferred Experience:
• 1. Application of tax treaties
• 2. Tax assessments and claims for refund
• 3. Immigration and labor issues for expatriate employees
• 4. Import/export law
• 5. Product registration of food, drugs and cosmetics
• 6. Real estate law
• Apply here: Carpo Law & Associates Careers

Job Vacancy: Corporate Lawyer (Asia Brewery)

• Company: Asia Brewery Inc.
• Place of Assignment: Makati and Pasig
• Salary: Php 60,000.00 – Php 100,000.00
• Job Description:
• 1. Contract review
• 2. Administrative case for Marketing companies
• 3. Labor & Administrative cases administration
• Qualifications:
• 1. Bachelor’s degree in Legal Management
• 2. 5 years in Labor & Criminal with Administrative cases
• 3. Actual experience for Administrative hearing
• 4. Willing to travel
• Source: Joblum Philippines

Job Vacancy: Tax Lawyer (Isla Lipana & Co.)

• Company: Isla Lipana & Co.
• Place of Assignment: Makati City
• Job Description:
• 1. Prepares detailed technical tax memoranda/advice across a range of tax matters including international transactions, tax treaties, tax reform issues, merger and acquisition, corporate restructuring, and broad tax planning and compliance.
• 2. Secures tax rulings from the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue to clarify gray areas in tax laws and to confirm the tax treatment of particular transactions.
• 3. Handles tax disputes of clients with taxation authorities which involved preparation of position papers and protest letters and follow-ups and discussions with revenue officers on their findings.
• 4. Provides a tax compliance review.
• 5. Reviews corporate tax returns.
• 6. Assists in the business organization, registration, post-registration, expansion, spin-offs, mergers, or closure and represented clients before government agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Local Government Units, etc.
• Qualifications:
• 1. Candidate must be a Bar passer
• 2. Preferably CPA or with a college degree of BS Accountancy or any business related course. This is an advantage.
• 3. At least 1 year experience in related field. Fresh graduates or entry level candidates are welcome to apply.
• Source: Joblum Philippines

Job Vacancy: Litigation Lawyer (Globe G-Cash)

• Company: Globe GCash (MYNT – Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.)
• Place of Assignment: BGC, Taguig City
• Job Description:
• 1. Legal Research. He/She is expected to proactively conduct research and analysis on laws and regulations applicable to the organization, and prepare briefs on the same for submission to the Senior Counsel.  Able to provide tax advisories relevant to the organization.
• 2. Business Enablement. He/She is tasked to support the Senior Counsel in the implementation of strategic initiatives to promote the organization’s objectives. He/She is also in charge of conducting due diligence on the organization’s incoming engagements.
• 3. Contracts Management. He/She shall prepare, review and negotiate contracts, requests for proposals and other legal documents as needed by the organization.
• 4. Intellectual Property Practice. He/She is tasked to register trademarks, tradenames and patents.
• 5. Litigation
• Qualifications:
• 1. Hold a license to practice as a Lawyer in the Philippines, with at least 7 years working experience in a major law firm or corporate legal department with Tax and Intellectual Property (IP) practice background where he/she has held positions of advancing responsibility;
• 2. Preferably with experience in registering trademarks, tradenames and patents with Philippine Intellectual Property Offi
• 3. Possess superior organizational and time-management skills;
• 4. Exhibit analytical, communication, legal research and writing skills; and
• 5. Have the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Source: Joblum Philippines

Interesting Bar Exam Trivia

Here are some interesting trivia and bits of information about the Bar Exam in the Philippines.

1. The top three (3) schools that produced the most number of 1st Placers in the Bar Exam, from 1913 until 2018, are the University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), and San Beda College of Law. Here’s the complete list of the top five schools with the highest number of Bar topnotchers.

Schools with the Highest Number of Bar Topnotchers

2. From 2002 until 2010, the Bar exams were held every September at De La Salle University (DLSU). This changed due to security concerns after the Philippine Bar exam bombing on September 26, 2010, when a grenade was hurled at the crowd and injured 47 people, including two victims that had to undergo leg amputations. Since 2011, the examinations were moved to University of Santo Tomas (UST) and held every November.

3. Previously almost anyone, including non-law school graduates, were allowed to take the bar. This rule was changed by Section 5, Rule 138 of the Revised Rules of Court which required examinees to be graduates of duly recognized law schools in the Philippines. Thus, foreigners and Filipino graduates of a non-law school were no longer allowed to take the Bar. Filipino citizens who graduated from a foreign law school are allowed to take the Bar upon submission of certain certifications regarding the courses and degree they have completed.

Highest Bar Exam scores

4. The record for the highest official score attained in the Philippine Bar Exam is held by Florenz Regalado from San Beda College of Law. He garnered a score of 96.7% in 1954 which remains unbeaten until today.

The second highest score was also made in 1954 by Renato dela Fuente, also from San Beda College of Law, who got an average score of 95.95%.

The third highest Bar Exam score was achieved by Anacleto Mangaser from the Philippine Law School, who topped the Bar and achieved an average score of 95.85% in the 1949 exams.

Philippine Presidents who were Bar topnotchers

5. To date, there had been nine (9) Philippine Presidents who were Bar passers and worked as lawyers.

6. The Philippines had three (3) former Presidents who were Bar Exam topnotchers. They are:

• Pres. Manuel Roxas (5th President of the Philippines) – 1st Placer in the 1913 Bar Exams with an average score of 92%; from UP
• Pres. Diosdado Macapagal (9th President of the Philippines) – 1st Placer in the 1936 Bar Exams with an average score of 89.85%; from UST
• Pres. Ferdinand Marcos (10th President of the Philippines) – 1st Placer in the 1939 Bar Exams with an average score of 92.35%; from UP

Philippine Presidents who were Bar Exam placers

7. Five (5) Philippine Presidents were placers in their respective Bar Exam:

• Pres. Sergio Osmena (4th President of the Philippines) – 2nd Placer in the 1903 Bar Exams; from UST
• Pres. Manuel Quezon (2nd President of the Philippines) – 4th Placer in the 1903 Bar Exams; from UST
• Pres. Elpidio Quirino (5th President of the Philippines) – 2nd Placer in the 1915 Bar Exams; from UP
• Pres. Jose P. Laurel (3rd President of the Philippines) – 2nd Placer in the 1915 Bar Exams; from UP
• Pres. Carlos Garcia (8th President of the Philippines) – 7th Placer in the 1923 Bar Exams; from Philippine Law School

First Non-Bar Placer Lawyer to become Philippine President

8. Incumbent Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, who graduated from San Beda College of Law and passed the Bar in 1972, was the first non-Bar placer lawyer that became President of the Philippines.

Philippine Bar Exam Passing Rates

For almost two decades, the average passing rate in the Philippine Bar Exams has been around 25%. This means historically only 1 out of every 4 examinees get to successfully pass the Bar. This low passing percentage is one of the reasons why the Bar Exam is considered one of the toughest, if not the toughest, professional licensure exam in the country.

Looking at the data in the last 20 years, the lowest passing rate was in the 2012 Bar Exams, where only 949 out of 5,343 takers passed the Bar. That year registered the record low passing rate of 17.76%.

The highest passing rate in the last 20 years, which happened in 2016, actually appears to be a fluke when 3,747 examinees out of 6,344 takers passed the exam. That year’s passing rate was a high 59.06%, a deviation from the historically low Bar Exams passing rates. This relatively high rate never happened again in recent years. After 2016, the passing rate was 25.55% in 2017 and 22.07% in 2018 — consistent with the general trend of Bar Exams passing rate of previous years.

Here’s a listing of the Philippine Bar Exam passing rates from the year 2000 until 2018.

Bar Exam Topnotchers from 1913 to 2018

Do you know what famous personalities such as former Presidents Manuel Roxas, Diosdado Macapagal, Ferdinand Marcos, former Senators Jose W. Diokno, Jovito Salonga, Aquilino Pimentel III, and Supreme Court Jusice Cecilia A. Muñoz-Palma have in common?

Well, they were all Bar topnotchers! As in ranked 1st when they took the Bar Exam!

Check out this compilation of Bar Exam 1st placers from 1913 until the most recent year and be amazed at their record-breaking scores.

Useful PRC Links and Board Exam Resources

• How to Renew your PRC ID Online in 5 Easy Steps
• PRC Registration for New Board Exam Passers
• How to Check your Actual Board Exam Score: PRC Verification of Rating
• PRC Online Appointment & Board Exam Application