‘Tiring but fulfilling’: 99.9% finish 2026 bar exam

MANILA, Philippines — An overwhelming majority of tens of thousands of candidates finished the three-part bar exam on Sunday, with some takers breathing a sigh of relief as the acid test came to a close.

On the third day of the 2026 Bar Examinations, 12,010, or 99.9 percent of the 12,017 candidates who showed up for the second part of the test proceeded to the final day, according to data from the Supreme Court.

READ: Final day of 2026 bar exams kicks off

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JC Edos of the Jose Rizal University is one of the 674 Bar finishers at the University of Santos Tomas.

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“It’s tiring but fulfilling; that’s my general feeling,” Edos said. “Finishing the bar makes me really, really happy.”

His mother came all the way from Northern Samar to show her support, joining hundreds of loved ones and law students who brought a fiesta atmosphere in front of UST to congratulate bar exam finishers.

“It’s exciting and fulfilling, because all my sacrifices being a single parent [paid off],” said Marilou Edos.

Other examinees were already relieved to have just finished the exam.

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“I started to feel tired and everything, but it is worth it, because everything is done,” said Cyrus Danganan from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. “I just hope my hard work bears fruit.”

“I am just happy that I am already done,” a 31-year old court decongestion officer, who requested anonymity, said. “I know with God’s help, I will pass the bar.”

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Meanwhile, the gathering at UST also saw the presence of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), carrying their call for future lawyers to serve the people.

“Of course, we carry a message to those who took the bar: they should also take on the challenge that, once they pass the bar, hopefully their legal knowledge and skills will be used for people’s sake, for their betterment,” said 28-year-old NUPL lawyer Clarisse Betina Fortes.

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“Once you become a lawyer, at some point you will face some crossroads: if you want to serve the powerful or the people,” Fortes said, “and we are encouraging them to defend the people’s rights.” /cb