The Supreme Court En Banc, in a resolution dated 12 August 2025, in A.M. No. 24-10-05-SC, approved the 2025 Proposed Amendments to Rule 138 of the Rules of Court, formally adopting electronic and regionalized bar examinations as the standard mode of admission into the practice of law.
The Court said the amended rules are the product of an extensive study and deliberation by the Subcommittee on the Admission to the Bar, chaired by Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando.
The Subcommittee includes Associate Justices Rodil V. Zalameda and Maria Filomena D. Singh as co-vice chairpersons; Associate Justices Jhosep Y. Lopez, Japar B. Dimaampao, and Antonio T. Kho Jr. as members; and justices from the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Court of Tax Appeals. It also includes representatives from the Legal Education Board, the Philippine Judicial Academy, the Asia Foundation, the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Office, the Philippine Association of Law Schools, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and deans of various law schools nationwide.
The amended rules promote inclusiveness, fairness, and non-discrimination, while ensuring integrity, efficiency, and the technology-driven administration of the bar examinations.
Bar examinations under the amended rules will be conducted electronically through a secure and reliable assessment platform. The exams will be administered in English and will be uniform for all examinees.
Examinees must answer the questions personally. For those with special needs, the Bar Chairperson may issue separate guidelines, which will be included in the Bar Examination Manual outlining the rules of conduct, test procedures, and other relevant information.
The examinations will be held over three days in September at designated local testing centers nationwide. The schedule and subjects are:
First Day
Morning: Political and Public International Law
Afternoon: Commercial and Taxation Laws
Second Day
Morning: Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds
Afternoon: Labor Law and Social Legislation
Third Day
Morning: Criminal Law
Afternoon: Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises
The amended rules also require the completion of the Clinical Legal Education Program under Rule 138-A, or the Law Student Practice Rule, as part of the prescribed law degree courses for admission to the bar.
The bar examinations serve as the qualifying licensure test for admission to the legal profession. Applicants are assessed on their knowledge of the law, ethical standards, and practice readiness.
To pass the bar examinations, an examinee must obtain a general average of 75 percent in all subjects, unless the Supreme Court En Banc sets a different passing rate.
The subjects carry the following relative weights:
Political and Public International Law – 15%
Commercial and Taxation Laws – 20%
Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds – 20%
Labor Law and Social Legislation – 10%
Criminal Law – 10%
Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises – 25%
Applicants must also possess good moral character and must not have any charges involving moral turpitude that have been decided with finality against them.