Philippine Bar Examinations
TypeBar examination
Developer / administratorSupreme Court Bar Examination Committee
Knowledge / skills testedUnderstanding of the basic principles of law and of relevant jurisprudence
PurposeAdmission to practice law
Year started1901 (1901)
Offered
  • Three separate days held within eight days every September (since 2023)
  • Four separate days held for two weeks in September (2022)
  • Two days held within three days in February (2021)
  • Four Sundays of November of every year (2010 to 2019)
  • Four Sundays of September (1901 to 2010)
Restrictions on attempts
  • 75% passing average
  • Candidates who have failed the bar exams for three times are not permitted to take another bar exam until they re-enroll and pass regular fourth-year review classes and attend a pre-bar review course in an approved law school
Countries / regionsPhilippines
Annual number of test takersIncrease 11,402 (in 2022)
Prerequisites / eligibility criteriasee Admission requirements
Qualification rate20–30% average passing rate
WebsiteSupreme Court Bar Admissions

The Philippine Bar Examinations is the professional licensure examination for lawyers in the Philippines. The exam is exclusively administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines through the Supreme Court Bar Examination Committee.[1]

Brief history

The first Philippine Bar Exams were conducted in 1901 with only 13 examinees. The third Philippine Bar Exam took place in 1903 but the results were released in 1905. José L. Quintos of Escuela de Derecho de Manila (now Manila Law College) obtained the highest rating of 96.33%, future President Sergio Osmeña, Sr. was second with 95.66%, future CFI Judge Fernando Salas was third with 94.5% and future President Manuel L. Quezon fourth with 87.83%. The bar exam in 1903 had only 13 examinees, while the 2008 bar examination is the 107th (given per Article 8, Section 5, 1987 Constitution). The first Roll of Attorneys were listed in 1945 after the 1944 bar exam. After the 1903 exam, rankings were again avoided until the 1913 exam, with its first English exam and first top ten list of topnotchers led by future president Manuel Roxas from UP Manila with 92%. This meant that every other year from the inaugural 1901 examination to 1912 no scores were given other than pass or fail. The 2016 bar exam had the highest number of passers 3747 out of 6344 (59.06 percent) examinees since 1954, but was later topped in 2020-21 (72.28 percent, the third highest at that point). However, the Supreme Court of the Philippines' Office of the Bar Confidant announced that (a new and official record of) 7,227 candidates took the 2017 Bar examinations.[2]

Past Bar examinations were conducted every September at De La Salle University until 2010 when they moved the date to November and changed the venue to University of Santo Tomas in 2011. As of February 2022, the Bar examinations had been regionalized and different schools were chosen as venues for the examination, switching to three or four day schedules in one week. The examination was also converted from the traditional pen and booklet to a now computerized method.

The lowest year was the 1999 bar examinations which recorded the lowest passing rate of 16.59% or with a total number of 660 successful examinees. Also, the 2003 bar exam was marred by controversy when the Court ordered a retake of the Mercantile law due to questionnaire leakage.[3] In 2005, the High Tribunal implemented the "five-strike" rule, which disqualifies five-time flunkers from taking future bar exams.[4]

Admission requirements

A bar candidate must meet the following academic qualifications:

  • Holder of a professional degree in law from a recognized law school in the Philippines[5]
  • Holder of a bachelor's degree with academic credits in certain required subjects from a recognized college or university in the Philippines or abroad.[6]

Candidates should also meet certain non-academic requisites:[7]

  • A Filipino citizen.
  • At least twenty-one years of age.
  • A resident of the Philippines.
  • Satisfactory evidence of good moral character (usually a certificate from the dean of law school or an immediate superior at work).
  • No charges involving moral turpitude have been filed against the candidate or are pending in any court in the Philippines.

In March 2010 the Philippine Supreme Court Issued Bar Matter 1153, amending provisions in Sections 5 and 6 of Rule 138 of the Rules of Court, now allowing Filipino foreign law school graduates to take the Bar Exam provided that they comply with the following:

  1. Completion of all courses leading to a degree of Bachelor of laws or its equivalent;
  2. Recognition or accreditation of the law school by proper authority;
  3. Completion of all fourth year subjects in a program of a law school duly accredited by the Philippine Government; and
  4. Proof of completing a separate bachelor's degree.

Committee of Bar Examiners

The Supreme Court appoints memberships in the Committee of Bar Examiners, the official task force for formulating bar exam questions, instituting policy directives, executing procedures, grading bar examination papers, and releasing the results of the annual bar examination.[8]

The committee is chaired by an incumbent Justice of the Supreme Court, who is designated by the Supreme Court to serve for a term of one year. The members of the committee includes eight members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, who also hold office for a term of one year.[8] While the Justice who shall act as chairman is immediately known, committee members must exert every effort to conceal their identities until the oath-taking of the successful bar examinees, approximately six months after the bar exam.[8]

YearBar Exam Chairperson
2001Associate Justice Sabino De Leon Jr.
2002Associate Justice Vicente Mendoza
2003Associate Justice Jose Vitug
2004Associate Justice Leonardo Quisumbing
2005Associate Justice Romeo Callejo Sr.
2006Associate Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez
2007Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna
2008Associate Justice Dante Tiñga
2009Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo Nachura
2010Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales
2011Associate Justice Roberto A. Abad
2012Associate Justice Martin Villarama
2013Associate Justice Arturo Brion
2014Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta
2015Associate Justice Teresita de Castro
2016Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr.
2017Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin
2018Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo
2019Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe
2020Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021Associate Justice Marvic Leonen
2022Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa
2023Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando
2024Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez
2025Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier
2026Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting

Bar review programs

Candidates who meet all the admission requirements usually enroll in special review classes after graduating from law school. These programs are held from April to September in law schools, colleges, universities, and review centers.

Program schedule, content, and delivery differs from one review program to another. Lecturers in these programs are called bar reviewers. They are usually full-time professors and part-time professorial lecturers in law schools and universities. Most review programs invite incumbent and retired justices and high ranking public officials both as a marketing tool and as a program innovation.[9]

Coverage

Previously, the bar examinations was conducted in all four Sundays of the month of November. Two bar subjects were taken every week, one is scheduled in the morning while another is in the afternoon. However, beginning in the 2023 Bar Examinations, the examinations were now conducted in three separate days in the month of September, and reduced the bar subjects from eight to six:[10]

Grading system

The six bar subjects are separately graded. Each subject contributes to the general average in the following proportion:[10]

Subject Weight
Political and Public International Law 15%
Commercial and Taxation Laws 20%
Civil Law 20%
Labor Law and Social Legislation 10%
Criminal Law 10%
Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises 25%

The passing average fixed by law is 75%, with no grade falling below 50% in any bar subject.[11]

Passing average vs. Passing rate

The passing average is the minimum grade in the exam required to be admitted to the practice of law. The passing rate is the proportion of total number of bar passers in relation to the total number of bar examinees. It is usually computed on two levels—the national level (national bar passing rate), and the law school level (law school passing rate).

In the past, passing averages were considerably lower to admit more new lawyers (i.e. 69% in 1947, 69.45% in 1946, 70% in 1948). Since 1982, the passing average has been fixed at 75%. This has led to a dramatic decrease in the national passing rate of bar examinees, from an all-time high of 75.17% in 1954 to an all-time low of 16.59% in 1999 (all-time low should have been the single digit 5% national passing rate for the 2007 bar examination if the Supreme Court did not lower the passing average to 70% and lowered the disqualification rate in 3 subjects). In recent years, the annual national bar passing rate ranges from 20% to 30%.[12]

Law school passing rates

The most recent ranking (December 2015) for the top ten law schools in the Philippines by the Legal Education Board is based on the cumulative performance of law schools in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Bar Examinations. The list only included law schools which had 20 or more examinees:[13]

  1. University of the Philippines (10%)
  2. Ateneo de Manila University (9%)
  3. San Beda University (8%)
  4. University of San Carlos (7%)
  5. Ateneo de Davao University (6%)
  6. University of Santo Tomas (5%)
  7. University of Cebu (4%)
  8. San Beda College Alabang (3%)
  9. Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (2%)
  10. Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan (1%)

Role of the Supreme Court, Criticisms

In 2007, only 5% (of the 5,626 who took the 2007 tests, or less than 300) got the passing grade of 75%. Thus, the Supreme Court adjusted the standard to 70% and the disqualification rate in 3 subjects (civil, labor and criminal law) from 50 to 45%. Accordingly, 1,289 or 22.91%, "passed." This passing grade reduction is highly unusual, since it last happened in the 1981 exam when the passing grade was lowered to 72.5%. Prior to 1982, the passing mark jumped unpredictably from year to year:

Passing Grade fluctuations between 1946 and 1981 (56)
Year Passing Mark (%) Year Passing Mark (%)
1946 69.45 1964 71.5
1947 69 1965 71.5
1948 70 1966 74
1949 74 1967 72
1950 73 1968 73
1951 74 1969 73
1952 74 1970 73
1953 71.5 1971 74
1954 72.5 1972 70
1955 73.5 1973 74
1956 73 1974 70
1957 72 1975 73
1958 72 1976 74.5
1959 72 1977 74
1960 72 1978 73
1961 71 1979 73.5
1962 72.5 1980 73
1963 70 1981 72.5

In 1954, the Court lowered the passing grade to 72.5%, even if the passing percentage was already at its highest at 75.17%. In 1999, moves to lower the passing grade to 74% failed, after Justice Fidel Purisima, bar committee chairman failed to disclose that his nephew took the examination. He was censured and his honoraria was reduced to half.[14]

Increasing difficulty

The difficulty of the recent bar examinations, compared to exams of the past, can be attributed to the following factors:[12]

  • The growing volume of Philippine case and statutory laws is unprecedented. Laws, jurisprudence, and legal doctrines of the past constitute only a small fraction of contemporary Philippine legal materials, which are increasing on a daily basis.[15]
  • The 75% passing average with no grade lower than 50% in any subject is already fixed by law. Actual candidates who scored 74.99% in the general average were not admitted to the practice of law, unless they retake the bar exams.[12]
  • The Three-Failure Rule is now in place. Candidates who have failed the bar exams for three times are not permitted to take another bar exam until they re-enroll and pass regular fourth-year review classes and attend a pre-bar review course in an approved law school.[6]
  • The Five-Strike Rule was implemented from 2005 and ended in 2014. The rule limits to five the number of times a candidate may take the Bar exams. The rule disqualifies a candidate after failing in three examinations. However, he is permitted to take fourth and fifth examinations if he successfully completes a one-year refresher course for each examination.[16] On September 3, 2013, the Supreme Court, issued a resolution, lifting the five-strike rule on bar repeaters.[17]
  • The four-year bachelor's degree is required before admission to law school. Hence, every bar examinee has to hold at least two degrees—one in law and one in another field. In the past, law schools readily admit high school graduates and two-year Associate in Arts degree holders.[6]

After the end of the Second World War, the passing rate in the succeeding years was remarkably high, ranging from 56 to 72% percent. However, after Associate Justice J.B.L. Reyes, a noted scholar, was appointed Chairman of the 1955 Bar Examinations, the passing rate for that year dropped dramatically to 26.8%, with a failure rate of 73.2%. That ratio has been invariably maintained in the 50+ years since.[18]

Waiting period

Previously, largely essay-written-type exams are manually checked by members of the Committee of Bar Examiners. Candidates have to wait from the last Sunday of the bar exams in September up to the date of the release of results, which traditionally happens before or during the Holy Week (the last week of March or the first week of April) of the following year. During this period, candidates (who already hold law and bachelor's degrees) may opt to work in law firms and courts as legal researchers, teach in liberal arts and business colleges, function in companies and organizations using their pre-law degrees (i.e. Communication Arts, Accounting, Economics, Journalism, etc.), or even their law degrees for that matter, help run the family business, or take a long vacation.[19] However, the recent shift to digitalization of the exams had reduced the waiting period to more than two months only, e.g., the 2023 Bar Examinations was held in September of the same year with the results released on 5 December 2023.

Admission of successful bar examinees

The Office of the Bar Confidant of the Philippine Supreme Court releases the Official List of Successful Bar Examinees, usually during the last week of March or the first week of April of every year. Candidates whose names appear in the list are required to take and subscribe before the Supreme Court the corresponding Oath of Office.[20]

Candidates shall take an Oath of Office and sign their names in the Roll of Attorneys of the Supreme Court.[21] The oath-taking is usually held in May at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) with a formal program where all Justices of the Supreme Court, sitting en banc, formally approve the applications of the successful bar candidates. The eight bar examiners are officially introduced to the public. A message to the newly inducted lawyers is delivered by one of the justices. Candidates who made the bar top ten list are also introduced and honored. The deans of all Philippine law schools are requested to attend the ceremony and grace the front seats of the plenary hall.[22]

Controversies

In the 1930s, a distant relative of Imelda Romualdez Marcos who was a Justice in the High Court resigned after a controversy involving the bar examinations. Justice Ramon Fernandez was forced to protect his name and honor when he resigned because of a bar examination scandal.[23]

On November 23, 1979, the High Court, per Justice Pacifico de Castro ordered new examinations in labor and social legislation and taxation.

On May 7, 1982, 12 of the Supreme Court's 14 justices resigned amid expose "that the court fixed the bar-examination score of a member's son so that he would pass." Justice Vicente Ericta was accused to have personally approached the bar chairman to inquire whether his (Ericta's) son passed the bar. Ferdinand Marcos accepted the resignations and appointed new justices. Chief Justice Enrique Fernando wept at a news conference as he accepted responsibility for rechecking and changing the exam score of Gustavo Ericta, son of Justice Vicente Ericta.[24]

Associate Justice Fidel Purisima, chairman of the bar committee, did not disclose that he had a nephew who was taking the bar examination in that year. He was merely censured and his honoraria as bar examiner were forfeited.

On September 24, 2003, the Supreme Court, per a bleary-eyed Associate Justice Jose Vitug, annulled the tests results on mercantile law after "confirmation of what could be the most widespread case of cheating in the 104-year-old bar exams".[25]

Bar topnotchers

Bar topnotchers are bar examinees who garnered the highest bar exam grades in a particular year. Every year, the Supreme Court releases the bar top ten list. The list contains the names of bar examinees who obtained the ten highest grades. It is possible for more than ten examinees to place in the top ten because numerical ties in the computation of grades usually occur.[26]

From 1913 to 2019, schools which have produced bar topnotchers (1st placers) are as follows:[26]

Number of Bar Topnotchers
Law School No. of Bar Topnotchers
University of the Philippines College of Law
49
Ateneo de Manila Law School
23
San Beda College of Law
8
Philippine Law School
5
University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law
5
Far Eastern University Institute of Law
4
University of Manila College of Law
4
San Beda College Alabang School of Law
3
University of the Cordilleras College of Law
2
Other Law Schools
1

Two bar examinees topped the bar exams without officially graduating from any Philippine law school:[26]

  • Jose W. Diokno – former Senator of the Philippines; 1st placer, 1945 bar exams. Diokno Sr., who tied for Number One with former Senate President Jovito Salonga in the 1945 Bar Exams, would have graduated from the University of Santo Tomas had not World War II supervened. Mr. Diokno's success in the bar exams is further underscored by the fact that he was also under-age[27] and that he also placed number 1 in the 1940 CPA Board exams which he took while in law school, summa cum laude[28] after graduating from then De La Salle College[29] at the age of 17. This double number 1 feat may never be paralleled. The closest may have been Cesar L. Villanueva (from the Ateneo Law School) who placed second in the 1981 Bar Exams and sixth place in the 1982 CPA Board Exams and Reginald Laco (from the De La Salle Lipa Law School) who placed fourth in the 2015 Bar Exams and second in the 2009 CPA Board Exams.[30]
  • Carolina C. Griño-Aquino – former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; 1st placer, 1950 bar exams. Ms. Aquino (who later became the wife of Mr. Ramon Aquino, 6th placer in 1939 Bar Exams) was a special student of the UP College of Law, where she finished her last two years of law school having taken her first two years of law school at the Colegio de San Agustin in Iloilo. Ms. Aquino was advised to take her last two years of law school in UP by Colegio de San Agustin Law Dean Felipe Ysmael. Coincidentally, Mr. Ysmael (a UP Law graduate himself) placed number 1 in the 1917 Bar Exams. Since Ms. Aquino only took her last two years of law at UP, she can't be certified as an official UP law graduate.[27] Both spouses Aquino (in addition to being topnotchers) also served as Justices of the Supreme Court.[31]

In the past, non-law school graduates were allowed to take the bar. However, the Revised Rules of Court and Supreme Court Circulars allow Filipino graduates of Philippine law schools (and subject to certain conditions, Filipino graduates of foreign law schools) to take the bar, necessarily excluding non-law graduates and foreigners who have law degrees from taking part in the exercise.[5]

While not a guarantee for topping the bar, academic excellence in law school is a good indicator of an examinee's fortune in the bar exams. Ateneo Law School's only summa cum laude graduate, Claudio Teehankee, placed number one in the 1940 Bar Exams.[26] It is worth noting that Teehankee's son, Manuel Antonio, followed in his footsteps by graduating at the top of his Ateneo Law School class (albeit, not as summa cum laude) and placing first in the 1983 bar exams. Claudio's nephew, Enrique (a cum laude graduate from the UP College of Law), also placed number one in the 1976 bar exams. Claudio eventually became Supreme Court Chief Justice, Manuel was formerly Department of Justice Undersecretary and Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland while Enrique is a successful private practitioner.

This father-son-nephew feat has yet to (and, perhaps, may never) be equalled in the annals of Philippine Bar. For siblings, the closest is when Manuel B. Zamora, Jr. placed third in the 1961 Bar Exams and younger brother Ronaldo placed first in the 1969 Bar Exams.

The UST Faculty of Civil Law's sole summa cum laude graduate, Roberto B. Concepcion, placed first in the 1924 Bar Exams.[26] He later served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

The San Beda College[32] of Law's sole magna cum laude graduate, Florenz Regalado,[33][34] ranked 1st in the 1954 Bar exams with a mark of 96.70%. The record is the highest average in the Philippine Bar Examinations, to date. Regalado later served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

The UP College of Law (which has yet to produce a summa cum laude graduate) had five of its seventeen magna cum laude graduates (the College of Law first conferred the honor to Rafael Dinglasan in 1925 and, to date, last conferred the same honor to Dionne Marie Sanchez in 2007) place number one in their respective bar exams: Rafael Dinglasan in 1925, Lorenzo Sumulong in 1929, Deogracias Eufemio in 1962, Roberto San Jose in 1966 and Ronaldo Zamora in 1969.[26] Dinglasan became a Judge of the Court of First Instance of Manila, Sumulong became Senator of the Republic and a renowned statesman, Eufemio and San Jose established their respective successful private law practices while Zamora became Executive Secretary to then President Joseph Estrada and is currently the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives.

Bar Topnotchers List

The Office of the Bar Confidant releases an official Bar Topnotchers list together with the list of names of all successful bar examinees. The Bar Topnotchers list contains the names of the candidates who garnered the highest general averages in the bar exam for that year. The highest ranking candidate in the list is known as the bar topnotcher. The list has always been the subject of much media attention and public speculation.[35]

Making a place in the list is widely regarded as an important life achievement, an attractive professional qualification, and a necessary improvement in a lawyer's professional and social status.[35]

Below is a listing of all 106 first-placers (from 1913 to 2019) and can be rearranged from highest to lowest in terms of rating obtained. Bar ratings are not exactly comparable from year-to-year as the difficulty of the exams varies through the years. Two bar examinations took place in 1946, first in August to cover the absence of the examination the previous year and in November for the present year. There was a tie in first place in two occasions – in 1944 and in 1999.

Year Name Average School Hometown Passing Percentage[36]
1901
1902
1903Jose L. Quintos96.33Escuela de Derecho/Manila Law CollegeBaliwag, Bulacan30.76% (4 out of 13)[37]
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911Jose Hontiveros98University of Santo TomasTangalan, Capiz
1912
1913Manuel A. Roxas92University of the PhilippinesRoxas City, Capiz
1914Manuel C. Goyena93University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
1915Francisco Villanueva, Jr.90University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
1916Paulino Gullas93University of the PhilippinesCebu City, Cebu
1917Felipe Ysmael92University of the PhilippinesIloilo City, Iloilo
1918Alejo Labrador87University of the PhilippinesSan Narciso, Zambales
1919Gregorio Anonas87Philippine Law SchoolIba, Zambales
1920Adolfo Brillantes84.1Escuela de Derecho/ Manila Law CollegeBangued, Abra
1921Pablo C. Payawal89.1University of the PhilippinesSan Miguel, Bulacan
1922Amando L. Velilla89.1University of the PhilippinesBalasan, Iloilo
1923Roque V. Desquitado90.9University of the PhilippinesBantayan, Cebu
1924Roberto R. Concepcion89.1University of Santo TomasManila, Metro Manila
1925Rafael Dinglasan91.1University of the PhilippinesRoxas City, Capiz
1926Eugeniano Perez88.1Philippine Law SchoolMandaue, Cebu
1927Cesar Kintanar87.7University of the PhilippinesArgao, Cebu
1928Filomeno B. Pascual90.3Philippine Law SchoolSagay, Negros Occidental
1929Lorenzo S. Sumulong92.5University of the PhilippinesAntipolo, Rizal
1930Tecla San Andres89.4University of the PhilippinesNaga, Camarines Sur
1931Jose N. Leuterio89.4University of the PhilippinesBoac, Marinduque
1932Hermenegildo Atienza93University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
1933Lope C. Quimbo92.45University of ManilaCalbiga, Samar
1934Marciano P. Catral89.7Philippine Law SchoolLuna, Isabela
1935Enrique Estrellado91.7University of the PhilippinesSan Pablo, Laguna
1936Diosdado P. Macapagal89.85University of Santo TomasLubao, Pampanga
1937Cecilia Muñoz-Palma92.6University of the PhilippinesBauan, Batangas
1938Emmanuel Pelaez91.3University of ManilaMedina, Misamis Oriental
1939Ferdinand Marcos92.35University of the PhilippinesBatac, Ilocos Norte
1940Claudio Teehankee94.35Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila
1941Emmet P.D. Shea90.2University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
1942-1943Cancelled due to World War II
1944Jovito R. Salonga95.3University of the PhilippinesPasig, Metro Manila
Jose W. DioknoSpecial Dispensation (non-degree holder) (University of Santo Tomas undergraduate)Manila, Metro Manila
1945Cancelled due to Post-war Rehabilitation
1946Gregoria T. Cruz – (August 1946)92.25University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila46.63% (97 out of 208)
Pedro L. Yap(November 1946)91.7University of the PhilippinesSan Isidro, Leyte56.69% (271 out of 478)
1947Ameurfina A. Melencio-Herrera93.85University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila59.87% (428 out of 755)
1948Manuel G. Montecillo95.5Far Eastern UniversityLiliw, Laguna62.26% (561 out of 901)
1949Anacleto C. Mañgaser95.85Philippine Law SchoolCaba, La Union56.14% (686 out of 1,222)
1950Carolina C. Griño92.05Special (Colegio de San Agustin and University of the Philippines)Leganes, Iloilo31.92% (423 out of 1,325)
1951Vicente R. Acsay92.25University of ManilaBugasong, Antique57.19% (1.189 out of 2,079)
1952Pedro Samson C. Animas94.25University of the PhilippinesOzamiz, Misamis Occidental62.02% (1,705 out of 2,749)
1953Leonardo A. Amores94.05University of ManilaRoxas City, Capiz72.42% (1,851 out of 2,556)
1954Florenz D. Regalado96.7San Beda CollegeConcepcion, Iloilo75.17% (2,409 out of 3,206)
1955Tomas P. Matic, Jr.90.55Far Eastern UniversityConcepcion, Tarlac27.29% (815 out of 2,987)
1956Francisco C. Catral90.2San Beda CollegeLal-lo, Cagayan62.60% (2,283 out of 3,647)
1957Gregorio R. Castillo89.15University of the PhilippinesBuhi, Camarines Sur19.77% (615 out of 3,110)
1958Manuel G. Abello89.25University of the PhilippinesIsabela, Negros Occidental21.97% (868 out of 3,951)
1959Agustin O. Benitez89.2Far Eastern UniversityCabadbaran, Agusan del Norte21.21% (796 out of 3,754)
1960Ismael Andres91.7Manuel L. Quezon UniversityLooc, Romblon39.9% (1,667 out of 4,178)
1961Avelino V. Cruz90.95San Beda CollegePasig, Metro Manila19.34 (845 out of 4,370)
1962Deogracias G. Eufemio90.8University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila19.4% (899 out of 4,635)
1963Cornelio C. Gison86.35Ateneo de Manila UniversityArevalo, Iloilo City22.26% (1,213 out of 5,453)
1964Jesus P. Castelo88.4San Beda CollegeSan Isidro, Nueva Ecija25.09% (902 out of 3,596)
1965Victor S. de la Serna89.8San Beda CollegeTagbilaran, Bohol32.66% (642 out of 1,965)
1966Roberto V. San Jose90.6University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila36.71% (715 out of 1,947)
1967Rodolfo D. Robles89.6San Beda CollegeTiaong, Quezon22.8% (411 out of 1,803)
1968Oscar B. Glovasa87.45Divine Word College of TagbilaranCogon, Tagbilaran, Bohol21.11% (347 out of 1,643)
1969Ronaldo B. Zamora87.3University of the PhilippinesCalumpit, Bulacan28.6 (495 out of 1,731)
1970Romulo D. San Juan87.5Far Eastern UniversitySan Jacinto, Masbate27.9% (491 out of 1,761)
1971Henry R. Villarica92.4University of the PhilippinesMeycauayan, Bulacan33.84% (621 out of 1,835)
1972Januario B. Soller, Jr.87.13Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila26.68% (509 out of 1,907)
1973Vicente R. Solis90.3Ateneo de Manila UniversityZamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur37.4% (610 out of 1,631)
1974Arturo D. Brion91.65Ateneo de Manila UniversitySan Pablo, Laguna35.02% (685 out of 1,956)
1975Nicanor B. Padilla, Jr.86.7University of the EastCebu City, Cebu35.18% (686 out of 1,950)
1976Enrique Y. Teehankee90.8University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila49.77% (926 out of 1,979)
1977Virgilio B. Gesmundo91.8Ateneo de Manila UniversitySan Pablo, Laguna60.56% (1,038 out of 1,714)
1978Cosme D. Rosell92.475University of the PhilippinesDaanbantayan, Cebu56.93% (1,076 out of 1,890)
1979Gregorio M. Batiller, Jr.91.4Ateneo de Manila UniversityDavao City, Davao del Sur49.51% (903 out of 1,824)
1980Rafael R. Lagos89.75University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila33.61% (605 out of 1,800)
1981Irene Ragodon-Guevarra90.95Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila43.71% (787 out of 1,800)
1982Ray C. Espinosa90.95Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila20.5% (432 out of 2,112)
1983Manuel Antonio J. Teehankee91.4Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila21.3% (523 out of 2,455)
1984Richard M. Chiu92.85Ateneo de Manila UniversityDumaguete, Negros Oriental25.55% (638 out of 2,497)
1985Janette Susan L. Peña89.4University of the PhilippinesSan Juan, Metro Manila25.78% (701 out of 2,719)
1986Laurence L. Go88.6Ateneo de Manila UniversityPagadian, Zamboanga del Sur18.88% (493 out of 2,609)
1987Mario P. Victoriano88.55Ateneo de Manila UniversityDumaguete, Negros Oriental17.90 (480 out of 2,682)
1988Maria Yvette O. Navarro88.12University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila24.40% (689 out of 2,824)
1989Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo C. Teodoro, Jr.86.185University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila21.26% (639 out of 3,006)
1990Aquilino L. Pimentel III89.85University of the PhilippinesCagayan de Oro27.94% (866 out of 3,100)
1991Joseph P. San Pedro89.95Ateneo de Manila UniversityMalolos, Bulacan17.81% (569 out of 3,194)
1992Jayme A. Sy, Jr.87Ateneo de Manila UniversitySagay, Negros Occidental17.25% (499 out of 2,892)
1993Anna Leah Fidelis T. Castañeda88.325Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila21.65% (725 out of 3,348)
1994Francisco Noel R. Fernandez89.2University of the PhilippinesButuan, Agusan del Norte30.87% (1,030 out of 3,337)
1995Leonor Y. Dicdican91.2University of the PhilippinesDavao City, Davao del Sur30.90% (987 out of 3,194)
1996Patricia-Ann T. Prodigalidad90.6University of the PhilippinesBrooklyn, New York, US31.21% (1,217 out of 3,900)
1997Ma. Cecilia H. Fernandez90.025University of the PhilippinesMakati, Metro Manila18.11% (710 out of 3,921)
1998Janet B. Abuel91.8Baguio Colleges FoundationDagupan, Pangasinan39.63% (1,465 out of 3,697)
1999Edwin R. Enrile88.5Ateneo de Manila UniversityNaga, Camarines Sur16.59% (660 out of 3,978)
Florin T. HilbayUniversity of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
2000Eliseo M. Zuñiga, Jr.90.6University of the PhilippinesMandaluyong, Metro Manila20.84% (979 out of 4,698)
2001Rodolfo Ma. A. Ponferrada93.8University of the PhilippinesQuezon City, Metro Manila32.895 (1,266 out of 3,849)
2002Arlene M. Maneja92.9University of Santo TomasQuezon City, Metro Manila19.86% (917 out of 4,659)
2003Aeneas Eli S. Diaz88.53Ateneo de Manila UniversitySorsogon City, Sorsogon20.71% (1,108 out of 5,349)
2004January A. Sanchez87.45University of the PhilippinesSanta Maria, Bulacan31.61% (1,659 out of 5,249)
2005Joan A. De Venecia87.2University of the PhilippinesDagupan, Pangasinan27.22% (1,526 out of 5,607)
2006Noel Neil Q. Malimban87.6University of the CordillerasBaguio, Benguet30.6% (1,893 out of 6,187)
2007Mercedita L. Ona83.55Ateneo de Manila UniversitySan Jose, Batangas22. 91% (1,289 out of 5,626)
2008Judy A. Lardizabal85.7San Sebastian CollegeImus, Cavite20.58 (1,310 out of 6.364)
2009Reinier Paul R. Yebra84.8San Beda CollegeDaet, Camarines Norte24.58% (1,451 out of 5,093)
2010Cesareo Antonio S. Singzon Jr.89Ateneo de Manila UniversityCatbalogan, Samar20.26% (982 out of 4,847)
2011Raoul Angelo D. Atadero85.536Ateneo de Manila UniversityQuezon City, Metro Manila31.95& (1,913 out of 5,987)
2012Ignatius Michael D. Ingles85.64Ateneo de Manila UniversityQuezon City, Metro Manila17.76% (949 out of 5,343 )
2013Nielson G. Pangan85.8University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila22.18% (1,174 out of 5,293)
2014Irene Mae B. Alcobilla85.5San Beda CollegeSan Remigio, Antique18.82% (1,126 out of 5,984)
2015Rachel Angeli B. Miranda87.4University of the PhilippinesQuezon City, Metro Manila26.21% (1,731 out of 7,146)
2016Karen Mae L. Calam89.05University of San CarlosKalilangan, Bukidnon59.06% (3,747 out of 6,344)
2017Mark John M. Simondo91.05University of St. La SalleBacolod, Negros Occidental25.55% (1,724 out of 6,748)
2018Sean James Borja89.306Ateneo de Manila UniversityMuntinlupa, Metro Manila22.07% (1,800 out of 8,155)
2019Mae Diane Azores91.049University of Santo Tomas–LegazpiLegazpi City, Albay27.36% (2,103 out of 7,699)
2020Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic [38]
20211None 272.28% (8,241 out of 11,402)
2022Czar Matthew Dayday88.803University of the PhilippinesQuezon City, Metro Manila43.47% (3,992 out of 9,183)
2023Ephraim P. Bie89.2625%University of Santo TomasMetro Manila36.77% (3,812 out of 10, 387)

Top 100 overall scorers

Rank Year Name Average School Hometown
1st1911Jose Hontiveros98University of Santo TomasTangalan, Capiz
2nd1954Florenz D. Regalado96.7San Beda CollegeConcepcion, Iloilo
3rd1903Jose L. Quintos96.33Escuela de Derecho/Manila Law CollegeBaliuag, Bulacan
4th1949Anacleto C. Mañgaser95.85Philippine Law SchoolCaba, La Union
5th1948Manuel G. Montecillo95.5Far Eastern UniversityLiliw, Laguna
6th1944Jovito R. Salonga
Jose W. Diokno
95.3University of the Philippines
Special (University of Santo Tomas)
Pasig, Metro Manila
Manila, Metro Manila
7th1940Claudio Teehankee94.35Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila
8th1952Pedro Samson C. Animas94.25University of the PhilippinesOzamiz, Misamis Occidental
9th1953Leonardo A. Amores94.05University of ManilaRoxas City, Capiz
10th1947Ameurfina A. Melencio-Herrera93.85University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
11th2001Rodolfo Ma. A. Ponferrada93.8University of the PhilippinesQuezon City, Metro Manila
12th (tie)1914Manuel C. Goyena93University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
12th (tie)1916Paulino Gullas93University of the PhilippinesCebu City, Cebu
12th (tie)1932Hermenegildo Atienza93University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
13th2002Arlene M. Maneja92.9University of Santo TomasQuezon City, Metro Manila
14th1984Richard M. Chiu92.85Ateneo de Manila UniversityDumaguete, Negros Oriental
15th1937Cecilia A. Muñoz-Palma92.6University of the PhilippinesBauan, Batangas
16th1929Lorenzo S. Sumulong92.5University of the PhilippinesAntipolo, Rizal
17th1978Cosme D. Rosell92.475University of the PhilippinesDaanbantayan, Cebu
18th1933Lope C. Quimbo92.45University of ManilaCalbiga, Samar
19th1971Henry R. Villarica92.4University of the PhilippinesMeycauayan, Bulacan
20th1939Ferdinand E. Marcos92.35University of the PhilippinesSarrat, Ilocos Norte
21st (tie)1951Vicente R. Acsay92.25University of ManilaBugasong, Antique
21st (tie)1946Gregoria T. Cruz – (August 1946)92.25University of the Philippines
Manila, Metro Manila
22nd1950Carolina C. Griño92.05Special (Colegio de San Agustin and University of the Philippines)Leganes, Iloilo
23rd (tie)1913Manuel A. Roxas92University of the PhilippinesRoxas City, Capiz
23rd (tie)1917Felipe Ysmael92University of the PhilippinesIloilo City, Iloilo
24th (tie)1977Virgilio B. Gesmundo91.8Ateneo de Manila UniversitySan Pablo, Laguna
24th (tie)1998Janet B. Abuel91.8Baguio Colleges FoundationDagupan, Pangasinan
25th (tie)1935Enrique Estrellado91.7University of the PhilippinesSan Pablo, Laguna
25th (tie)1960Ismael Andres91.7Manuel L. Quezon UniversityLooc, Romblon
25th (tie)1946Pedro L. Yap(November 1946)91.7University of the PhilippinesSan Isidro, Leyte
26th1974Arturo D. Brion91.65Ateneo de Manila UniversitySan Pablo, Laguna
27th (tie)1979Gregorio M. Batiller, Jr.91.4Ateneo de Manila UniversityDavao City, Davao del Sur
27th (tie)1983Manuel Antonio J. Teehankee91.4Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila
28th1938Emmanuel N. Pelaez91.3University of ManilaMedina, Misamis Oriental
29th1995Leonor Y. Dicdican91.2University of the PhilippinesDavao City, Davao del Sur
30th1925Rafael Dinglasan91.1University of the PhilippinesRoxas City, Capiz
31st2017Mark John M. Simondo91.05University of St. La SalleBacolod City, Negros Occidental
32nd2019Mae Diane Azores91.049University of Santo Tomas-LegazpiLegazpi City, Albay
33rd (tie)1961Avelino V. Cruz90.95San Beda CollegePasig, Metro Manila
33rd (tie)1981Irene Ragodon-Guevarra90.95Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila
33rd (tie)1982Ray C. Espinosa90.95Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila
34th1923Roque V. Desquitado90.9University of the PhilippinesBantayan, Cebu
35th (tie)1962Deogracias G. Eufemio90.8University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
35th (tie)1976Enrique Y. Teehankee90.8University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
36th (tie)1966Roberto V. San Jose90.6University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
36th (tie)1996Patricia-Ann T. Prodigalidad90.6University of the PhilippinesBrooklyn, New York City, USA
36th (tie)2000Eliseo M. Zuñiga, Jr.90.6University of the PhilippinesMandaluyong, Metro Manila
37th1955Tomas P. Matic, Jr.90.55Far Eastern UniversityConcepcion, Tarlac
38th (tie)1928Filomeno B. Pascual90.3Philippine Law SchoolSagay, Negros Occidental
38th (tie)1973Vicente R. Solis90.3Ateneo de Manila UniversityZamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur
39th (tie)1941Emmet P.D. Shea90.2University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
39th (tie)1956Francisco C. Catral90.2San Beda CollegeLal-lo, Cagayan
40th1997Ma. Cecilia H. Fernandez90.025University of the PhilippinesMakati, Metro Manila
41st1915Francisco Villanueva, Jr.90University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
42nd1991Joseph P. San Pedro89.95Ateneo de Manila UniversityMalolos, Bulacan
43rd (tie)1936Diosdado P. Macapagal89.85University of Santo TomasLubao, Pampanga
43rd (tie)1990Aquilino L. Pimentel III89.85University of the PhilippinesCagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental
44th1965Victor S. de la Serna89.8San Beda CollegeTagbilaran, Bohol
45th1980Rafael R. Lagos89.75University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
46th1934Marciano P. Catral89.7Philippine Law SchoolLuna, Isabela
47th1967Rodolfo D. Robles89.6San Beda CollegeTiaong, Quezon
48th (tie)1930Tecla San Andres89.4University of the PhilippinesNaga, Camarines Sur
48th (tie)1931Jose N. Leuterio89.4University of the PhilippinesBoac, Marinduque
48th (tie)1985Janette Susan L. Peña89.4University of the PhilippinesSan Juan, Metro Manila
49th2018Sean James Borja89.306Ateneo de Manila UniversityMuntinlupa, Metro Manila
50th1958Manuel G. Abello89.25University of the PhilippinesIsabela, Negros Occidental
51st (tie)1959Agustin O. Benitez89.2Far Eastern UniversityCabadbaran, Agusan del Norte
51st (tie)1994Francisco Noel R. Fernandez89.2University of the PhilippinesButuan, Agusan del Norte
52nd1957Gregorio R. Castillo89.15University of the PhilippinesBuhi, Camarines Sur
53rd (tie)1921Pablo C. Payawal89.1University of the PhilippinesSan Miguel, Bulacan
53rd (tie)1922Amando L. Velilla89.1University of the PhilippinesBalasan, Iloilo
53rd (tie)1924Roberto R. Concepcion89.1University of Santo TomasManila, Metro Manila
54th2016Karen Mae L. Calam89.05University of San CarlosKalilangan, Bukidnon
55th2010Cesareo Antonio S. Singzon Jr.89Ateneo de Manila UniversityCatbalogan, Samar
56th2022Czar Matthew Dayday88.803University of the PhilippinesQuezon City, Metro Manila
57th1986Laurence L. Go88.6Ateneo de Manila UniversityPagadian, Zamboanga del Sur
58th1987Mario P. Victoriano88.55Ateneo de Manila UniversityDumaguete, Negros Oriental
59th2003Aeneas Eli S. Diaz88.53Ateneo de Manila UniversitySorsogon City, Sorsogon
60th1999Edwin R. Enrile
Florin T. Hilbay
88.5Ateneo de Manila University
University of the Philippines
Naga, Camarines Sur
Manila, Metro Manila
61st1964Jesus P. Castelo88.4San Beda CollegeSan Isidro, Nueva Ecija
62nd1993Anna Leah Fidelis T. Castañeda88.325Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila
63rd1988Maria Yvette O. Navarro88.12University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
64th1926Eugeniano Perez88.1Philippine Law SchoolMandaue, Cebu
65th1927Cesar Kintanar87.7University of the PhilippinesArgao, Cebu
66th2006Noel Neil Q. Malimban87.6University of the CordillerasBaguio City, Benguet
67th1970Romulo D. San Juan87.5Far Eastern UniversitySan Jacinto, Masbate
68th (tie)1968Oscar B. Glovasa87.45Divine Word College of TagbilaranCogon, Tagbilaran, Bohol
68th (tie)2004January A. Sanchez87.45University of the PhilippinesSanta Maria, Bulacan
69th2015Rachel Angeli B. Miranda87.4University of the PhilippinesQuezon City, Metro Manila
70th1969Ronaldo B. Zamora87.3University of the PhilippinesCalumpit, Bulacan
71st2005Joan A. De Venecia87.2University of the PhilippinesDagupan, Pangasinan
72nd1972Januario B. Soller, Jr.87.13Ateneo de Manila UniversityManila, Metro Manila
73rd (tie)1918Alejo Labrador87University of the PhilippinesSan Narciso, Zambales
73rd (tie)1919Gregorio Anonas87Philippine Law SchoolIba, Zambales
73rd (tie)1992Jayme A. Sy, Jr.87Ateneo de Manila UniversitySagay, Negros Occidental
74th1975Nicanor B. Padilla, Jr.86.7University of the EastCebu City, Cebu
75th1963Cornelio C. Gison86.35Ateneo de Manila UniversityArevalo, Iloilo City
76th1989Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo C. Teodoro, Jr.86.185University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
77th2013Nielson G. Pangan85.8University of the PhilippinesManila, Metro Manila
78th2008Judy A. Lardizabal85.7San Sebastian CollegeImus, Cavite
79th2012Ignatius Michael D. Ingles85.64Ateneo de Manila UniversityQuezon City, Metro Manila
80th2011Raoul Angelo D. Atadero85.536Ateneo de Manila UniversityQuezon City, Metro Manila
81st2014Irene Mae B. Alcobilla85.5San Beda CollegeSan Remigio, Antique
82nd2009Reinier Paul R. Yebra84.8San Beda CollegeDaet, Camarines Norte
83rd1920Adolfo Brillantes84.1Escuela de Derecho/Manila Law CollegeBangued, Abra
84th2007Mercedita L. Ona83.55Ateneo de Manila UniversitySan Jose, Batangas


^1 Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court En banc instituted bar reforms pro hac vice in conducting the 2020-2021 bar examinations, including: 
  • Digitization and regionalization of the bar examinations.[39]
  • Postponement of the bar examination to February 4, 2022 and February 6, 2022.[40]
  • Reduction of Bar Coverage to 4 subjects - Laws pertaining to the State and Its relationship with its Citizens (formerly Political Law, Labor Law, and Taxation Law); Criminal Law; Law pertaining to Private Personal and Commercial Relations (formerly Civil Law and Commercial law); and Procedure and Professional Ethics (formerly Remedial Law, Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises).[41]
  • Requirement of negative results for Antigen test and confirmatory RT-PCR test. 
^2 Declaration of bar topnotchers is suspended. Examinees who obtain 85% or higher shall be recognized for exemplary performance.[42]

Highest and lowest topnotcher grades

Jose Hontiveros obtained an average of 98% in 1911.[43] A standard was created in 1940, when Claudio Teehankee (future Supreme Court Chief Justice), from the Ateneo Law School, got a grade of 94.35% when he topped the examinations. This record was obliterated four years later in 1944 when Jovito Salonga and Jose W. Diokno tied with the highest score of 95.3%. This was the first time that first place ended in a tie. When they took the 1944 Bar Exams, Atty. Salonga was an undergraduate at the UP College of Law while Atty. Diokno (future Senator) was an undergraduate of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law. After passing the bar, Atty. Salonga (future Senate President) went back to UP to complete his bachelor's degree in law, earning it in 1946. The only other instance of a tie at the first place in the bar exams was when Edwin Enrile (salutatorian of his Ateneo Law School class) and Florin Hilbay (an honor student of the UP College of Law) both garnered the same score in 1999. Atty. Enrile served as Deputy Executive Secretary to President Gloria Arroyo and as a Professorial Lecturer at the Ateneo Law School.[27] Atty. Hilbay served as the Solicitor General from 2014 to 2016 and is the current dean of the Siliman University College of Law.[44] After another four years, the "bar" was raised a few notches when Manuel G. Montecillo of the Far Eastern University Institute of Law got a grade of 95.50% when he bested all the bar examinees of 1948. The following year, another record was set when Anacleto C. Mañgaser, an alumnus of the Philippine Law School, got a grade of 95.85% when he topped the 1949 bar exams.

The lowest grade was obtained by Ateneo Law School's Mercedita L. Ona, 83.55%, 2007, which erased the prior record of 84.10%, obtained by Adolfo Brillantes of Escuela de Derecho de Manila (now Manila Law College Foundation) in 1920.[26][45] Atty. Ona was just the latest of women's first placers. In 1930, Tecla San Andres (an alumna of the UP College of Law and future Senator) broke the proverbial "glass ceiling" when she became the first woman to top the bar with a grade of 89.4%. Ameurfina A. Melencio (also an alumna of the UP College of Law and who later became a Justice of the Supreme Court) has the highest grade of all-female bar topnotchers in recorded history when she obtained a 93.85% rating in 1947.

Famous bar topnotchers

Prominent lawyers who made the bar top ten include:[46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55]

Presidents and Vice-Presidents

Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Justices

  • Jose Hontiveros - Associate Justice of the First Supreme Court; Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals; 1st placer, 1911 Bar Exams (University of Santo Tomas)
  • José Yulo – 6th Philippine Chief Justice; 3rd placer, 1913 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)
  • Ricardo Paras – 8th Philippine Chief Justice; 2nd placer, 1913 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)
  • César Bengzon – 9th Philippine Chief Justice; 2nd placer, 1919 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)
  • Roberto Concepcion – 10th Philippine Chief Justice; 1st placer, 1924 Bar Exams (UST Faculty of Civil Law)
  • Querube Makalintal – 11th Philippine Chief Justice; 7th placer, 1933 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)
  • Ramon Aquino – 15th Philippine Chief Justice; 9th placer, 1939 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)
  • Claudio Teehankee – 16th Philippine Chief Justice; 1st placer, 1940 Bar Exams (Ateneo Law School)
  • Pedro Yap – 17th Philippine Chief Justice; 1st placer, 1946 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)
  • Andres Narvasa – 19th Philippine Chief Justice; 2nd placer, 1951 Bar Exams (UST Faculty of Civil Law)
  • Artemio Panganiban – 21st Philippine Chief Justice; 6th placer, 1960 Bar Exams (FEU Institute of Law)
  • José P. Laurel – former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 2nd placer, 1915 Bar Exams
  • J. B. L. Reyes – former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 6th placer, 1922 Bar Exams
  • Ambrosio Padilla – former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 3rd placer, 1934 Bar Exams
  • Cecilia Muñoz-Palma – former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 1st placer, 1937 Bar Exams
  • Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera – former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 1st placer, 1947 Bar Exams
  • Irene Cortes – former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 9th placer, 1948 Bar Exams
  • Carolina C. Griño-Aquino – former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 1st placer, 1950 Bar Exams
  • Isagani R. Cruz – former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 8th placer, 1951 Bar Exams
  • Florenz Regalado – former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 1st placer, 1954 Bar Exams
  • Adolfo Azcuna – Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 4th placer, 1962 Bar Exams
  • Antonio Eduardo Nachura – Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 7th placer, 1967 Bar Exams
  • Presbitero Velasco, Jr. – Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 6th placer, 1971 Bar Exams
  • Antonio Carpio – Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 6th placer, 1975 Bar Exams
  • Arturo D. Brion – Philippine Supreme Court Justice; former Philippine Court of Appeals Justice; 1st placer, 1974 Bar Exams
  • Lucas Bersamin – 25th Philippine Chief Justice; 9th placer, 1973 Bar Exams
  • Francis Jardeleza- 173rd Supreme Court Associate Justice and former Solicitor General; 3rd placer, 1974 Bar Exams

Senators and Representatives

  • Jose Hontiveros - former Philippine Senator; 1st placer, 1911 Bar Exams
  • Manuel A. Roxas – former Philippine Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives; 1st placer, 1913 Bar Exams
  • Manuel L. Quezon – former Philippine Senate President; 4th placer, 1903 Bar Exams
  • Cipriano P. Primicias - former Philippine Senate Majority Floor Leader; 6th placer, 1923 Bar Exams
  • Arturo M. Tolentino – former Philippine Senate President; 2nd placer, 1934 Bar Exams
  • Jovito Salonga – former Philippine Senate President; 1st placer, 1944 Bar Exams
  • Neptali Gonzales – former Philippine Senate President; 9th placer, 1949 Bar Exams
  • Ernesto M. Maceda – former Philippine Senate President; 10th placer, 1956 Bar Exams
  • Franklin M. Drilon – former Philippine Senate President; 3rd placer, 1969 Bar Exams
  • Lorenzo Sumulong – former Philippine Senator; 1st placer, 1929 Bar Exams
  • Jose W. Diokno – former Philippine Senator; 1st placer, 1944 Bar Exams
  • Rene Saguisag – former Philippine Senator; 6th placer, 1963 Bar Exams
  • Aquilino Pimentel III (Koko Pimentel) – Philippine Senator; 1st placer, 1990 Bar Exams
  • Sergio S. Osmeña – former Speaker of the House of Representatives; 2nd placer, 1903 Bar Exams
  • Jose Yulo – former Speaker of the House of Representatives; 3rd placer, 1913 Bar Exams
  • Antonio Eduardo Nachura – former Samar Representative; 7th placer, 1967 Bar Exams
  • Ronaldo Zamora – San Juan Representative; 1st placer, 1969 Bar Exams
  • Prospero Nograles – Speaker of the House of Representatives; 2nd placer, 1971 Bar Exams
  • Arturo D. Brion – Assemblyman, Philippine National Assembly; 1st placer, 1974 Bar Exams
  • Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo C. Teodoro, Jr. – former Tarlac Representative; 1st placer, 1989 Bar Exams
  • José P. Laurel- former Senator; 2nd Placer 1915
  • Leila de Lima – current Philippine Senator; former Secretary of Justice; former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairperson; 8th placer, 1985 Bar Exams

Appointees and career service officials

Local officials

Academe

See also

References

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  2. Geronimo, Jee Y. (November 4, 2017). "Over 7,200 candidates set to take 2017 Bar exams". Rappler.
  3. "Inquirer.net, First bar exam in RP held in 1901, with 13 test takers".
  4. "Inquirer.net, 1,289 pass bar exams".
  5. 1 2 Section 5, Rule 138, Revised Rules of Court.
  6. 1 2 3 Section 6, Rule 138, Revised Rules of Court.
  7. Section 2, Rule 138, Revised Rules of Court.
  8. 1 2 3 Section 12, Rule 138, Revised Rules of Court.
  9. Rufus Rodriguez. Slaying the Bar Exams Dragon. Rex Bookstore, 2002.
  10. 1 2 "Bar Bulletin No. 1, Series of 2024 | CONDUCT OF 2024 BAR EXAMINATIONS: MODALITY, COVERAGE, SCHEDULE, and SYLLABI" (PDF). Supreme Court of the Philippines. December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  11. Section 14, Rule 138, Revised Rules of Court.
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  14. "Inquirer.net, With Due Respect, How Arroyo can help produce better lawyers".
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  17. "En Banc Resolution dated September 3, 2013 in B.M. No. 1161 Re: Proposed Reforms in the Bar Examinations - Lifting the five-strike rule on bar repeaters". www.chanroblesbar.com. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  18. JBL: Selected Speeches and Essays in Honor of Justice Jose B.L. Reyes, p. 57-58
  19. Ricardo B. Teruel. Practical Lawyering in the Philippines. Revised Edition. Central Professional Books, 1999.
  20. Section 17, Rule 138, Revised Rules of Court.
  21. Section 19, Rule 138, Revised Rules of Court.
  22. Rufus B. Rodriguez. Slaying the Bar Exams Dragon. Rex Bookstore, 2002.
  23. ":: Malaya - the National Newspaper ::". Malaya. Archived from the original on June 1, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
  24. "AROUND THE WORLD; 12 Philippine Justices Resign in Scandal". The New York Times.. Since the 1982 "Ericta Scandal", it was only in 2008 that the Court relaxed the fixed rules on passing grades amid the inhibitions of 5 Justices whose relatives took the exams.
  25. "sun star, Bar leakage extends exams by one Sunday". SunStar.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 List of Bar Topnotchers from 1913 to 2006, Office of the Bar Confidant, Supreme Court of the Philippines.
  27. 1 2 3 Manila Times, April 12, 2008
  28. "zxq.net". filipinoheritage.zxq.net. January 2, 2024.
  29. IRPA, DLSU ITS, DLSU STRATCOM, DLSU. "De La Salle University : DLSU : Home". dlsu.edu.ph.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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  31. "Brillantes faces rough sailing at CA". BusinessMirror. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
  32. "Home – San Beda". sanbeda.edu.ph.
  33. "HON. JUSTICE FLORENZ D. REGALADO". Republic of the Philippines Senate Electoral Tribunal. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  34. Florenz Regalado
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  36. Bar Examinations National Percentage
  37. First Bar Exam in PH
  38. SC Bar Bulletin No. 11
  39. Bar Bulletin No. 18
  40. Bar Bulletin No. 33
  41. Bar Bulletin No. 31
  42. Bar Matter No. 3860
  43. Justice Jose Hontiveros obtained a grade of 98% in 1911. See "Profiles of Chief Justices and Associate Justices," p. 146.
  44. "SU names former SolGen Hilbay as Law dean". Silliman University. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  45. "Women outshine men in RP bar exams". GMA News Online. March 30, 2008.
  46. Roll of Attorneys of the Supreme Court, June 2007.
  47. Faculty and alumni list, Ateneo School of Law, June 2007.
  48. Faculty and alumni list, FEU Institute of Law, June 2007.
  49. Faculty and alumni list, Lyceum of the Philippines College of Law, June 2007.
  50. Faculty and alumni list, MLQU College of Law, June 2007.
  51. Faculty and alumni list, San Beda College of Law, June 2007.
  52. Faculty and alumni list, San Sebastian College-Recoletos College of Law, June 2007.
  53. Faculty and alumni list, UE College of Law, June 2007.
  54. Faculty and alumni list, UP College of Law, June 2007.
  55. Faculty and alumni list, UST Faculty of Civil Law, June 2007.

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