MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has designated San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) in Muntinlupa City as the National Headquarters (NHQ) for the 2026 Bar Examinations, making it the central command center for the nationwide administration of the licensure test for aspiring lawyers.
As the national headquarters, SBCA will host the Supreme Court's operations center responsible for coordinating logistics, safeguarding examination materials and overseeing the smooth conduct of the Bar examinations across all testing sites.
This is the third time that SBCA has been designated as the Bar examinations' national headquarters.
Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, 2026 Bar Examinations chairman, said the designation reflected the Court's confidence in SBCA's ability to support the conduct of the Bar examinations.
"The National Headquarters is more than just a venue. It is the Court's promise to the nation that the 2026 Bar Examinations will be administered with the full measure of its institutional will, its vigilance, and its care," Gaerlan said.
He added that the partnership represented "mutual trust and respect" and a shared commitment to excellence and integrity in serving thousands of aspiring lawyers.
In addition to serving as the NHQ, SBCA will also be among the 15 testing centers for the 2026 Bar Examinations, up from 14 last year.
The other testing centers in Metro Manila are Ateneo de Manila University School of Law in Makati City, Manila Adventist College in Pasay City, New Era University in Quezon City, San Beda University and the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, and the University of the Philippines Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.
Outside Metro Manila, the testing centers are Cagayan State University in Tuguegarao City, Saint Louis University in Baguio City, University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City, Central Philippine University in Iloilo City, Dr. V. Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation in Tacloban City, University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City, Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City, and Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology in Iligan City.
The 2026 Bar Examinations will be held on Sept. 6, 9 and 13, 2026 and will cover six core subjects: Political and Public International Law; Commercial and Taxation Laws; Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds; Labor Law and Social Legislation; Criminal Law; and Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics with Practical Exercises.
The Supreme Court said 14,291 applicants have registered for this year's Bar examinations, the highest number in the history of the Bar. It added that 95.88 percent of admitted examinees were assigned to their preferred first-choice testing center.
