THE 2026 Bar examinations ended peacefully at Cebu’s only testing center, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Basak Campus, on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, according to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
An estimated 800 relatives, friends and other supporters gathered outside the campus to welcome the examinees after the final tests.
The crowd caused traffic congestion near the school, but police personnel directed motorists and kept vehicles moving.
CCPO Director Col. Ricky Sumalde, who personally supervised security operations inside and outside the campus, said they encountered no major problems during the three-day examinations because preparations had been made well in advance.
“The situation was generally peaceful. We deployed many police personnel in the area to ensure the safety and security of the examinees’ families,” he said.
Crowd and security
The CCPO said about 130 personnel were deployed at the venue. They were supported by personnel from the Cebu City Transportation Office, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Bureau of Fire Protection.
Sumalde thanked the personnel who served from the opening day until the examinations ended Sunday.
Police recorded no unruly behavior during the three-day event. Residents near the USJ-R Basak Campus and other members of the public also complied with the restrictions imposed by authorities.
Noise, liquor bans
Police enforced noise and liquor bans within a 100-meter radius of the campus to prevent disturbances. The restrictions took effect at 12:01 a.m. on examination days and remained in force until the tests ended at night.
Police said no violations were recorded.
The Supreme Court held the 2026 Bar examinations on Sept. 6, 9 and 13 at 15 local testing centers nationwide.
Of the 1,519 examinees registered at the Cebu testing center, 1,326 took the opening-day examinations. USJ-R recorded the highest number of examinees among the 15 testing centers.
Nationwide, 12,029 of the 13,441 applicants admitted to the Bar took the first-day tests. The number dropped to 12,017 on the second day.
Testing centers
Seven testing centers were in Metro Manila: New Era University in Quezon City; University of Santo Tomas and San Beda University in Manila; Ateneo de Manila University School of Law in Makati City; Manila Adventist College in Pasay City; University of the Philippines Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City; and San Beda College Alabang in Muntinlupa City, which served as the national headquarters.
The three Luzon testing centers were Saint Louis University in Baguio City, Cagayan State University in Tuguegarao City and University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City.
In the Visayas, testing centers were USJ-R in Cebu City, Central Philippine University in Iloilo City and Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation in Tacloban City.
Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City and Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology in Iligan City served as the two Mindanao testing centers.
Final-day subjects
The final-day examinations covered Criminal Law in the morning and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics, with Practical Exercises, in the afternoon.
The examinations remained digitalized and regionalized. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan chaired this year’s Bar examinations. Results are tentatively scheduled for release in early January 2027. / AYB
