Law schools continue to clamor for Bar exams to be held in regions, instead of the pattern of having it Manila.

This cropped up again during the recent gathering of the Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS) in Dumaguete City.

In Bohol, three institutions have colleges of law—the Holy Name University, University of Bohol and the Bohol Institute of Technology-International College.

For his part, HNU College of Law Dean Tomas Abapo Jr. expressed that they concur with other institutions calling for Supreme Court to consider holding the Bar examinations in the regions.

He said PALS had already discussed it and the Supreme Court is giving attention to it.

“This has been discussed by PALS and is now under study by the Supreme Court who conducts the exams. This is advantageous to provincial schools. One hindrance, though, is security of bar questions and results,” according to Abapo.

Some schools believe that if it is difficult to conduct it in every region, at least there could be one in Cebu and one in Mindanao.

For the Bar examination in November, the Supreme Court already approved to conduct it again at the University of Santo Tomas, according to earlier reports.

Prior to 2011, the Bar Examinations used to be held at the De La Salle University on Taft Avenue, Manila.

However, the bombing that marred the final day of the Bar Examinations in September 2010, prompted the transfer of the venue to UST in the following years.

It was also reported by the national media, that at least two law students lost legs during the bombing incident.

Moreover, the Supreme Court also decided to return to the traditional all-essay type of examination this time, according to reports.