Supreme Court, San Beda College Alabang Sign Contract Designating SBCA as 2023 Bar National Headquarters
July 19, 2023
Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, 2023 Bar Examinations Chairperson (third from right), together with (from left) San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) College of Law Dean Ulpiano P. Sarmiento III, SBCA Rector-President Fr. Gerardo Ma. De Villa, OSB and En Banc Clerk of Court Atty. Marife M. Lomibao-Cuevas present copies of the signed contract between the Supreme Court and the SBCA designating the Benedictine school as the national headquarters of the 2023 Bar Examinations, on July 18, 2023 at the Session Hall of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. With them are Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo and Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Administrative Officer Maria Carina M. Cunanan. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
It’s official: San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) will be the National Headquarters of the 2023 Bar Examinations.
The Supreme Court and the SBCA yesterday signed the contract designating the Benedictine school in Alabang, Muntinlupa City as this year’s Bar Exams National Headquarters (NHQ).
En Banc Clerk of Court Atty. Marife M. Lomibao-Cuevas and Rector-President Fr. Gerardo Ma. De Villa, OSB signed for the Supreme Court and for the SBCA, respectively. Signing as witnesses were Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Chairperson of the 2023 Bar Examinations, and SBCA College of Law Dean Ulpiano P. Sarmiento III.
Justice Hernando expressed his gratitude to everyone who are helping in and supporting the preparations for the 2023 Bar Examinations. He thanked his colleagues in the Supreme Court, particularly Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo “for being the pillar that we can all depend on for the success of the 2023 Bar Examinations.”
He also expressed his gratitude to the SBCA for its “warm generosity,” saying that the “homebase of this year’s NHQ is the happiest law school in the land, the San Beda College Alabang.”
Justice Hernando said that in the process of the Court’s Bar preparations, all “barista’s servants,” or those who are serving in the Office of the 2023 Bar Examinations Chairperson, put themselves in the shoes of every aspirant to the legal profession. He said that “barista’s servants” include the whole of the Supreme Court, particularly the Office of the 2023 Bar Chair, Office of the Bar Confidant, the Management Information Systems Office, the volunteers, and the participating schools and institutions which have graciously lent their grounds as Bar Examinations sites.
“Every single day we monitor the feedback of our Bar applicants to all our releases regarding the Bar Examinations. We listen to and hear each of the stories freely shared by them. We discuss how we can address every single petition and request,” disclosed Justice Hernando.
“We connect with the Bar takers through the hard work that we share. To be with our baristas is our way of giving them a feeling of enlightenment, comfort, a boost of confidence, and a push to proceed and succeed,” said the 2023 Bar Examinations Chairperson, as he urged those present to “remain committed to inspiring and to be inspired by our 2023 Bar Examinations takers.”
Speaking for SBCA, Rector-President Fr. De Villa expressed the SBCA’s gratitude to the Supreme Court for having been chosen as the 2023 Bar Examinations National Headquarters, saying that it “is a privilege that will be treasured by this Benedictine institution.”
“May our partnership in the formation of future lawyers strengthen our shared vision for national development in the global society of all men and women of goodwill,” Fr. De Villa said.
With them were Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Justice Mario V. Lopez, Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez; and Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr.
Also present were Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva, Assistant Court Administator (ACA) Lilian C. Barribal-Co, ACA and Public Information Office Chief Brian Keith F. Hosaka, Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Administrative Officer Maria Carina M. Cunanan, Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Attorney Maria Victoria Gleoresty Sp. Guerra, Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Technology Officer Jed Sherwin G. Uy, Office of the Bar Confidant Officer-in-Charge Atty. Amor P. Entila, and SC Chief Judicial Staff Officer, Budget Division, Fiscal Management and Budget Office Atty. Marilyn I. De Joya.
Also in attendance were the Office of the 2023 Bar Chair and 2023 Bar Examinations Consultants, Dr. Norman Dennis E. Marquez and M Gen. Joel Napoleon Coronel (Ret.).
With Fr. De Villa and Dean Sarmiento were SBCA Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Andres Ignacio C. San Mateo, Jr., Atty. Carlo D. Busmente, Atty. Maria Eliza Camille Yamamoto, Atty. Roben B. Cadugo, Jr., Fr. Anthony Ma. B. Mendoza, OSB, and Fr. Dom Clement Ma. H. Roque, OSB.
This year’s Bar Examinations, which will be held on September 17, 20, and 24, are divided into six core subjects: Political and Public International Law (15%); Commercial and Taxation Laws (20%); Civil Law (20%); Labor Law and Social Legislation (10%); Criminal Law (10%); and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises (25%).
These core subjects were determined upon a thoughtful review of previous syllabi and due consideration of the latest developments in legal practice.
The 14 local testing centers nationwide for the 2023 Bar Examinations are: 1) San Beda University – Manila; 2) University of Santo Tomas; 3) San Beda College Alabang; 4) University of the Philippines – Diliman; 5) Manila Adventist College; and 6) University of the Philippines – Bonifacio Global City (National Capital Region); 7) Saint Louis University; 8) Cagayan State University; and 9) University of Nueva Caceres (Luzon); 10) University of San Jose – Recoletos; 11) University of San Carlos; and 12) Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation (Visayas); and 13) Ateneo de Davao University and 14) Xavier University (Mindanao). (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo (center) poses for posterity with Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Chairperson of the 2023 Bar Examinations (third from left) and San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) Rector-President Fr. Gerardo Ma. De Villa, OSB (third from right) shortly after the signing of the contract between the Supreme Court and the SBCA designating the latter as the national headquarters of the 2023 Bar Examinations, on July 18, 2023 at the Session Hall of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.. Also in photo are (from left) Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez, Justice Mario V. Lopez, Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan, and Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Chairperson of the 2023 Bar Examinations, expresses his gratitude to all those who are helping in and supporting the preparations for this year’s Bar Exams. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
En Banc Clerk of Court Atty. Marife M. Lomibao-Cuevas (seated second from right) and San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) Rector-President Fr. Gerardo Ma. De Villa, OSB (seated second from left) sign the contract for the Supreme Court and for the SBCA, respectively, designating the SBCA as the national headquarters of the 2023 Bar Examinations, on July 18, 2023 at the Session Hall of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.. Looking on are (seated, from left) SBCA College of Law Dean Ulpiano P. Sarmiento III; Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo; Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Chairperson of the 2023 Bar Examinations; and Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Administrative Officer Maria Carina M. Cunanan. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)