The Supreme Court officially launched on Thursday, July 15 an online platform that will be used by the applicants for the Bar Examination 2020-2021 that will be held in November, which marks as the first digital and localized licensure test for aspiring lawyers.

#Bar2020_21 UPDATE: Read the latest Bar Bulletin No. 21, s. 2021 – Application Process for the Bar Examinations #BestBarEver2020_21
(The FAQs may be accessed at https://t.co/xjbXmJvyO0) pic.twitter.com/j1mnwoRyPB

— Philippine Supreme Court Public Information Office (@SCPh_PIO) July 15, 2021

“The Bar Personalized Login Unified System (BAR PLUS) is now available. BAR PLUS is the dedicated application platform for the Bar Examinations for 2020 and 2021,” stated Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, 2020-2021 Bar chairperson.

“BAR PLUS is a homegrown online application system through which prospective applicants for the November 2021 Bar Examinations will submit their verified petition, other required documents, and information including proof of payment of the bar application fee,” Leonen said.

Leonen added that BAR PLUS “was created to facilitate safe, equitable, and inclusive Bar Examination.” Therefore, all potential examinees will submit their applications digitally and through the mail.

A potential examinee will be only required to appear personally just in case there are difficult issues found in their application that can’t be addressed in any given manner.

In submitting the petition to take the Bar Exam, applicants should read and strictly follow the instructions when it comes to passing the documents referred to as Frequently Asked Questions that would be found on the site.

The high court said submissions to the Office of the Bar Confidant should be sent via registered mail or any courier service or drop-off boxes at the Supreme Court-Padre Faura’s Main Gate.

Application shall only be deemed completed after they paid for the examination fee.

Before the pandemic happened, Bar Examination was being held in a single location, which is in Metro Manila. Last year’s examination was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With that, Leonen proposed measures to ensure that this year’s examination would still be possible.

The upcoming Bar Examinations would face major changes such as digitized and proctored examinations and online filing of the petition to take the Bar. Aside from that, examinations would be done “localized”, which means that applicants have the freedom to select examination venues nearest to their place, according to Leonen.

Leonen advised that potential examiners should start early as possible in processing their applications.

As of writing, there are 16 local testing sites across the country that have signed a contract with the Supreme Court for the upcoming Bar exams. The application started on July 15 to September 15, 2021.

For interested applicants, you can view https://lis.judiciary.gov.ph/scp# for login and registration.