Conquering the

2013 Bar Exams

 Know the enemy and know

yourself, and you can fight
battles with no danger of
defeat.
- Sun Tzu, The Art of War

LAW SCHOOL GRADUATION

The Decision:

WHETHER OR NOT
TO TAKE THE BAR EXAMS

BEFORE MAKING THE DECISION,

ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING
QUESTIONS:
1. How much do I want this (to become a lawyer)?
2. What is my capacity for sacrifice and hard work?
3. How is my mental capacity for processing
millions of words in four to six months?
- Aquilino Koko Pimentel III
First Place
1990 Bar Exams

FINANCIAL BUDGET AND

OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER

BUDGET FOR THE BAR EXAMS

Pre-Bar Review Enrolment Fee
P15,000
Bar Fees (SC Registration per BM No. 850 dated June 21, 2011)
3,000
Plane Tickets (to and from Manila)
5,000
Manila Dormitory
10,000
Courier Expense for Books (to and from Manila)
2,000
Books, Reviewers and Photocopy
5,000
Food and Laundry (1
month in Manila)
15,000
Miscellaneous
5,000

OTHER FACTORS TO
CONSIDER:
1. Health Status
2. Intellectual Preparedness
3. Support of Family
4. Emotional Stability
5. Work Status

DO NOT WAIT FOR AN EASY

BAR EXAMINATION,
THERE IS NONE.

LOCATION, LOCATION,
LOCATION
Pick a place that will be best
for your review, one that has
good access to public transport,
stores and hospitals.

YOUR OFFICE WORK:

- the bad news is time flies, the good
news is youre the pilot. (Michael Altshuler)
- while Atlas load is a myth, your
burden is real.
- contrary to common belief,you are less
stressful about your work if you pay
more attention to it.

BAR

STUDY/REVIEW
OFFICE WORK

TIME MANAGEMENT
1.Dont waste time.
2.Establish your goal.
3.Prioritize your tasks.
4.Organize.
5.Organize.
6.Avoid office politics.

PERSONAL ROUTINES
The Bar Exams is all about
STABILITY.
The Rule:

Keep certain routines,

and avoid drastic changes.

STUDY HABITS AND REVIEW

CALENDAR
1. Handle your schedule wisely.
2. Come up with ambitious bar review.
3. Read only the right materials.
4. Personal routines.
5. Practice.

SAMPLE REVIEW CALENDAR

April 1 to May 15

Remedial Law

May 15 to June 5

Taxation Law

June 5 to June 30

Political Law & PIL

July 1 to July 31

Civil Law

August 1 to August 10

Criminal Law

August 10 to August 25

Labor Law &

Social Legislation

August 26 to September 15
Law

Mercantile

September 15 to September 25 -

Legal Ethics &

Practical Exercises

PRE-BAR REVIEW SCHOOLS

1. University of San Jose Recoletos

P 15,500

Period: April 13 to September Down Payment: P8,000 Fees include Handouts

2. University of San Carlos

14,500
Period: April 19 to September 1

3. San Beda College, Mendiola

16,500
Period: April 15 to August 30 Fees include Memory Aid, Pre-Week Notes,
CDs

4. University of Sto. Tomas

15,000
Period: April 15 to September

5. ChanRobles Internet Bar Review

10,000

Period: February 1 to last Sunday of Bar Exams

6. University of the Philippines (Cebu & Diliman)

15,000

PRE-BAR REVIEW LECTURERS

1. Dean Willard B. Riano Remedial Law
2. Justice Maria Cristina J. Cornejo Criminal
Law
3. Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria Political Law
4. Prof. Edwin R. Sandoval Political Law
5. Dean Jose R. Sundiang Mercantile Law
6. Dean Ralph Sarmiento Public Intl Law
7. Prof. Victorino C. Mamalateo Taxation Law
8. Justice Japar B. Dimaampao Taxation Law
9. Dean Jonathan Capanas Taxation Law

SUGGESTED REVIEW MATERIALS

1. Political & Public International Law Nachura
Reviewer
Other References:
a. Sarmiento Reviewer for Public International
Law
b. Cruz for Constitution and Political Law
c. Sandoval Lecture Notes
d. Bernas Reviewer
e. Bedan Red Book
f. Personal Notes
2. Labor & Social Legislation Azucena Book (Vol. 1
& 2)
Other References:
a. Chan Robles Review Notes

3. Civil Law Jurado Reviewer

Other References:
a. Sempio-Dy Family Code
b. Tolentino for ObliCon
c. Bedan Red Book
d. Personal Notes
4. Taxation Law Mamalateo Reviewer
Other References:
a. Sababan Book
b. Dimaampao for Tax Remedies
c. Bedan Red Book
d. Personal Notes

5. Mercantile Law Sundiang Book

Other References:
a. Villanueva Reviewer
b. De Leon for Negotiable Instruments
c. Bedan Red Book
d. Personal Notes
6. Criminal Law Gregorio Reviewer
Other References:
a. Reyes (Book 1 & 2)
b. Sandoval Reviewer
c. Boado Reviewer
d. De Castro for Special Penal Laws
e. Bedan Red Book
f. Personal Notes

7. Remedial Law Riano Books (Civil Procedure,

Criminal
Procedure and Evidence)
Other References:
a. Agpalo for Criminal Procedure
b. Balmes for Special Proceedings
c. Manual on Katarungang Pambarangay
d. De Castro for Special Penal Laws
e. PDF Files downloaded from SC website
for Special Rules (Environmental and Small
Claims cases, include Judicial Affidavit
Rule)
e. Bedan Red Book
f. Personal Notes
9. Legal Ethics Bedan Red Book and Personal
Notes

ADDITIONAL MUST-HAVE
REVIEW MATERIALS
1. San Beda Memory Aid
2. Bedan Red Book
3. San Beda Case Digest (latest jurisprudence)
4. San Beda Red Notes
5. PALS MCQs (3 Volumes)

PRICE LIST
1. San Beda Memory Aid
2,500.00
2. Bedan Red Book
2,000.00
3. San Beda Case Digest
1,000.00
4. San Beda Red Notes
2,000.00
(plus freight charges)

PREPARING YOUR BAR MATERIALS:

1. After graduation, conduct an inventory of all your
textbooks,photo copies, reviewers and personal
notes you have accumulated in your 4-year stay
at the law school.
2. List down the books or reviewers that you will be
using in your 5-month pre-bar review.
3. Acquire the latest reviewers, especially for the
MCQs.
4. Come up with a realistic list of materials you will
be reviewing, do not attempt to read everything
especially the thick books.

WHERE TO STAY IN
MANILA?

CONSIDERATIONS IN
CHOOSING YOUR
ACOMODATION
IN MANILA
1. Safety (security and flooding)
2. Distance from the UST
3. Conducive to learning
4. Accessibility
- Grocery Store, Hospital,
Church, Pre-Week
Lectures

HOSPICIO DE SAN JOSE

HOSPICIO RATES:
Room for 2
17,850/mo

(P 8,925/pax)
Room for 4
(P 6,562.50/pax)

P 26,250/mo

PRE-WEEK
LECTURES

EXAMINATION VENUE

MAP OF UST

EXAMINATION DATES:
Four Sundays of October 2013

(Source: SC 2013 Bar Bulletin No. 1 dated December 7, 2012)

October 6:
8 a.m.
2 p.m.
October 13:
8 a.m.
2 p.m.
October 20:
8 a.m.
2 p.m.
October 27:
8 a.m.
2 p.m.

- 12 noon
- 6 p.m.

Political Law
Labor Law

- 12 noon
- 6 p.m.

Civil Law
Taxation

- 12 noon
- 6 p.m.

Commercial Law
Criminal Law

- 12 noon
- 6 p.m

Remedial Law
Legal Ethics

Coverage:
Questions shall strictly fall within the defined
Syllabus for every subject. The Syllabi shall be
released through a Bar Bulletin or before December
31, 2012.
The cut-off for Supreme Court decisions
covered by the 2013 Bar Examinations shall be
January 31, 2013.

Exam Structure and Format of Questions

a.
The Examination shall consist of 20% Multiple
Choice
Questions (MCQ) and 80% Essay-type questions.
b.
Whether MCQ or essay, the questions shall be
based on a given set of facts, presented as briefly but
as clearly and completely as possible, taking into
account that every examinee needs reading,
understanding, consideration of the applicable law,
and answering time for every question.
The whole examination should be answerable by
the average bar examinee within 3 .5 hours (21 0
minutes) to allow him or her 30 minutes of review

The 20% MCQ portion of the examination shall

be divided into 4 or 5 main fact situations from
which the MCQ questions shall be asked.
The 80% essay portion of the exam shall be
divided into eight (8) divisions of ten (10) points
each, with a maximum of two facts per division from
which question shall be drawn.
The corresponding weight of each question
shall properly be indicated in the questionnaire,
together with estimated answering time, to allow
the examinee proper allotment of his or her exam
time.

To reiterate:
1

MCQs

20% of overall
gradeper subject

ETQs

80% of overall
grade per subject

In computing your over-all Bar Exam grade,

the weight of each bar subject shall be maintained;
as follows:
Political Law
Labor Law
Civil Law
Taxation
Mercantile Law
Criminal Law
Remedial Law
Legal Ethics
General Average

15%
10%
15%
10%
15%
10%
20%
5%
100%

Three-level attack on MCQ Questions:

1 First Level no brainer type
2 Second Level you are tied with at least 2 choices
3 Third Level you do not know the answer and
have to
make a guess.

For the Third Level:

1 Look for clues like extra information, qualifications
and phrases that would seem to stand out from the
way the other choices are phrased.
2 A qualified statement is probably the correct
answer.
3 Limit yourchoice to the two opposing statements.
4 Choose the one with the longest statement.
5 Pick the choice found in the middle (either B or C)

6 If one of the choices unusually repeats the words,

phrase or statement in the stem, choose it.
7 Avoid a choice that contains wrong grammar or
has typographical error.
8 A positive choice is probably more correct than a
negative one.
9 For questions with all of the above or none of
the above, spot at least 2 correct choices and the
all of the above or none of the above may
probably be the correct answers.

10 Do not pick none of the above once you spot

one correct answer. Conversely, once you see a
choice whose statement is false, do not choose all
of the above.
11 Watch out for words always, never, every,
all, is, are, guarantees or ensures.
12 If these words are present: usually, some,
many, few, mostly, may sometimes be or
can occasionally result in, such is probably a
correct one.
13 Do change your answer when you are making a
guess, if you feel the need to do so.

Additional
Questions:

Tips

for

MCQ

1 Never leave a blank.

2 Do not rely on pure guesswork.

Tips for Essay-Type Questions:

1 Follow the three paragraph rule.
2 Follow the picture frame rule.
3 Improve your penmanship, make your exam
notebooks neat and clean.
4 Use margins dran by pencil.
5 Make one line if you wish to erase a
statement.

6 Use pick up lines, such as

-under the law, the law provides, law on the
matter provides, it is a basic Constitutional
principle that, expressly provided under the
Rules of Court, the law is explicit on the
matter, annent to the case at bar,
jurisprudential is the rule, jurisprudence on the
matter dictates, in a similar case decided by
the Supreme Court, case law dictates that,
etc.
-be accurate on your reference of legal basis,
ensure variety.
7 Be direct to the point, avoid flowery words.

DEADLINE OF
FILING APPLICATION
TO TAKE THE BAR:
July 15, 2013

THE REQUIREMENTS APPLICATION TO TAKE THE BAR

1. Original/Certified true copy of Birth
Certificate.
2. If married female, original/certified true
copy of marriage contract.
3.Three testimonial of good character, each
executed by a member of the Philippine Bar.
4. Original copy of Transcript of Records.
5. Form C-2 issued by the CHED.
6. Certification of No Derogatory Record
executed by the Law Dean (required by BM
No. 1161)

How much is the

Bar Examination
Admission Fees to be
paid
to the Supreme Court?

P
3,000.00
(BM No. 850 In re: Request to Increase the

ADDITIONAL REMINDERS:
1.Secure plane tickets ahead of time to avail
of fare promos.
2.Be in Manila at least 2 weeks before the
first Sunday of examinations.
3.Do not bring bulky textbooks and review
hand-outs, reviewers and memory aids are
enough.

TO DOs ON THE
EVE OF FIRST SUNDAY:
1.Sleep before 9pm, dont be tempted to
study for more.
2.Prepare exam attire and check things to
bring.
3.Pray like you never did before.

TO DOs ON
EXAMINATION DAY:
1.Wake up at 5am.
2.Check things to bring.
3.Take a good breakfast, necessary to sustain
you for at least for the next 5 hours.

LAST REMINDER:

BE
PREPARED.
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
- Benjamin Franklin

For further questions,

my mobile number is
+639082312725

God bless.
Thank you.