USJ-R Law Dean Jonathan Capanas said they are “more relaxed” now that the school was not included among the testing centers in the Visayas for the regionalized Bar exams.
The regional Bar Examinations will be held on Nov. 9, 13, 16 and 20.
For the Visayas, only the University of Cebu (UC) Banilad campus and the University of San Carlos (USC) main campus in Cebu City, and the Dr. Vicente Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation in Tacloban City are the designated testing venues.
When the first regionalized Bar exams were introduced in January this year, USJ-R, UC and USC served as the testing venues in Cebu.
Capanas said that having the Bar examinations in Cebu is beneficial to the barristers psychologically and financially.
“It would be much better if the exams are done locally because our candidates would have better chances of making it to the Bar,” said Capanas.
Bar ops ready
Some law students who volunteered in the university’s Bar operations will act as a support group. They will help prepare some necessary things for the barristers.
Maica Ouano-Dizon, president of USJ-R’s Bar operations, said that more than 100 students also volunteered to help the barristers in this year’s Bar Examinations.
Members of the Bar operations have also prepared kits for the barristers that contain food, water, medicines, and alcohol.
Ouano-Dizon also noted that the easing of the pandemic restrictions has also led to lesser health requirements for the barristers like the presentation of negative RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests.
Vaccinated Bar takers only need to present their vaccination cards upon entering the testing centers, she said. Ouano-Dizon said that all of USJ-R’s barristers have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Around 100 law graduates from USJ-R are expected to take the Bar exams. (IRT)