2 PWDs among examinees
The 2026 Philippine Bar exams saw record participation, including accommodations for persons with disabilities and a person deprived of liberty. The Supreme Court utilized digital testing for most candidates while providing specific exemptions for those unable to use computers.
Why it matters
The inclusion of diverse candidates and the modernization of testing protocols highlight evolving standards for accessibility and security in legal licensure.
MANILA, Philippines - A blind person and an amputee were among the tens of thousands who took the Bar exam this year, Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan said on Sunday.
READ: First day of 2026 Bar exams underway
Gaerlan, the Bar exam chairperson, said the two persons with disabilities were among those assigned an encoder to assist them in navigating the exam.
"We also have examinees who were allowed to take exams with the assistance of an encoder," Gaerlan said in a press conference. "One lost sight to a rare form of meningitis ... and one lost both arms."
The Supreme Court (SC) justice also said one person deprived of liberty (PDL) took the Bar exam.
The male examinee, he said, was not required to take the exam behind bars.
"We allowed him to go to the local testing centers, but of course, with the implementation of security protocols," he said.
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