BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – As 10,483 aspiring lawyers anxiously await the results of this year’s Bar examination, the Supreme Court has ruled that individual Bar examination scores are classified as sensitive personal information under the Data Privacy Act. Therefore, these scores cannot be disclosed without the prior consent of the examinees.
In response to this, the SC approved Bar Matter 4968, which outlines the Guidelines for Requests for Disclosure of Law Examination Performance. Under these guidelines, the SC may approve requests from law schools for Bar exam scores, provided that the data is aggregated, averaged, or anonymized, ensuring that no individual examinee can be identified.
Permissible data includes the number or percentage of law graduates categorized by type such as new takers, refreshers.
The allowed data also include the number or percentage of graduates within specific score ranges, the average score of all graduates in each Bar exam session, and the overall average score of graduates from law schools with multiple examinees.
Additionally, anonymized scores of each Bar taker, with all identifiers removed, are also permitted for disclosure.
These anonymized scores are not considered personal information under Republic Act No. 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, and may be shared without violating privacy laws.
Requests for such data from law schools must be signed by the dean or an authorized representative of the institution, ensuring that only aggregated, anonymized information is provided to maintain compliance with the Data Privacy Act.
The Supreme Court has earlier announced that the 2024 Bar exam results will be released on December 13, marking a significant moment for the 10,483 aspiring lawyers eagerly awaiting their fate.
In a notice issued recently, Associate Justice and 2024 Bar chair Mario Lopez confirmed the release date, triggering mixed emotions among examinees, as December 13 falls on a Friday.
In Philippine folklore, Friday the 13th is often considered unlucky, a superstition with roots in Western culture that has been further reinforced by pop culture.
However, this notion of bad luck is largely symbolic and subjective. For many bar examinees, the date could either be viewed as a test of resilience or perhaps an omen of good fortune, depending on their perspective and beliefs.
Justice Lopez revealed in a September press briefing that a total of 10,483 aspiring lawyers took the 2024 Bar examinations, held on September 8, 11, and 15.
This turnout is notable, as it represents a substantial portion of the 12,246 registered applicants.
The 2024 Bar examinations covered six core subjects, weighted as follows: Political and Public International Law, (15 percent); Commercial and Taxation Laws, (20 percent); Civil Law, (20 percent); Labor Law and Social Legislation, (10 percent); Criminal Law, (10 percent); Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises, (25 percent).
The 2023 Bar exam saw a passing rate of 36.77%, with 3,812 out of 10,387 examinees passing, which was a decline from the 2022 passing rate of 43.47% (3,992 out of 9,183 examinees).
Ephraim Bie, a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas School of Law, topped the 2023 exams with a grade of 89.2625%.
The 2024 Bar exam results are expected to be released on December 13, 2024, and the oath-taking ceremony and signing of the Roll of Attorneys are scheduled for January 24, 2025.
The Bar exam remains one of the most challenging professional licensure tests in the Philippines and is a pivotal milestone for those aiming to enter the legal profession./PN
