An examinee gets a hug from a supporter on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, the first day of the Bar exams.

THE Supreme Court intends to cut short the waiting time for the results of the Bar exams this year to spare the examinees the agony of a protracted wait.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, 2023 Bar chairman, announced on Sunday, the first day of the Bar examinations, that his team is considering releasing the results of the exams in early December.

Hernando said there will be simultaneous oath-taking and signing of the Roll of Attorneys before Christmas day “so that we will have our new batch of full-fledged lawyers before the year ends.”

“It will be an additional reason for those who will hurdle the Bar exams to celebrate the holiday season,” he said in a media briefing held at the San Beda College Alabang in Muntinlupa City, which serves as the national headquarters of this year’s Bar exams.

The 14 testing centers are San Beda University-Manila, University of Santo Tomas, San Beda College Alabang, University of the Philippines Diliman, Manila Adventist College, University of the Philippines Bonifacio Global City, Saint Louis University, Cagayan State University, University of Nueva Caceres, University of San Jose-Recoletos, University of San Carlos, Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation (Visayas), Ateneo de Davao University, and Xavier University (Mindanao).

This year’s Bar examinations are divided into six core subjects: 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); and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises (25 percent).