Naga braces for Jan, Feb Bar exams
By Jason B. Neola
An Incident Management Team (IMT) that will respond to any emergency situation that may arise during the conduct of the Bar Examinations has been constituted and activated by the City Government of Naga.
Pursuant to Bar Bulletin Nos. 23 and 29, series 2021 issued by Supreme Court Associate Justice and Bar examinations Chairperson Marvic Leonen, the University of Nueva Caceres in J. Hernandez Avenue, Naga City has been designated to be one of the local testing centers for the 2020/21 Bar examinations.
In his Executive Order No. 2021-029, which was issued on Oct. 27 this year, Mayor Nelson Legacion said the measure will facilitate the setting up of the city government’s integrated structure that will match the complexities and demands of the important event without being hindered by agency or jurisdictional boundaries.
First-ever to be conducted in the city, the event, which is expected to gather 476 examinees and 150 proctors, is the licensure exams for lawyers in the Philippines administered and supervised by no less than the Supreme Court.
The 2020/21 Bar examinations are slated to be held on Jan. 16, 23, 30, and Feb. 6, 2022.
The Naga City Bar IMT was constituted and activated with the following composition:
PREPARATIONS FOR BAR EXAMS THE Naga City Bar IMT along with the personnel of the University of Nueva Caceres and support staff from the Supreme Court during a meeting last Nov. 22, 2021, which was highlighted by the different task forces’ presentation of approaches and strategies that shall be adopted before and during the Bar exams. JBN/REY BAYLON/CEPPIO
Renne Gumba as incident commander and Ernesto Elcamel as deputy incident commander. In the command staff are Public Information Officer Allen Reondanga, Renee Absalon Abiada as safety officer, and Jaime Rojano as liaison officer.
General staff: Errol Garchitorena, Operations Section chief; Peter Paul Mendoza, Planning Section chief; Erwin Oliver, Logistics Section chief; and Leon Palmiano IV, Finance Section chief.
Unit leaders: Eireen Nolasco for Resource and Situation; Caitlin Amaranto for Documentation and Food; Francisco Lim for Communications; Dr. Joseph Sanchez for Medical Unit.
The Task Force leaders are: Jozel Sylvia Zape for the Security, Law and Order; Arnulfo Fausto for Traffic Management and Crowd Control; Moises Alpa Cortez for Ground Operations and Support; Jason Pante for Medical and EMS; Alfredo Gutierrez, for Decontamination; and Don Pomposo for Emergency Preparedness and Response.
The executive order has empowered the Naga City Bar IMT to create, mobilize, and demobilize/disband strike teams as it is also authorized to tap and utilize resources of the city government as needed in its tactical and strategic operations in ensuring that the conduct of the Bar examinations is orderly and peaceful.
“The Naga City Bar IMT must at all times acknowledge that the conduct of the Bar examinations stems from the Constitutional power of the Supreme Court to supervise admissions to the practice of law and, thus, must always coordinate closely with the Office of the Bar Chairperson and the Host Coordination Committee in the conduct of their operations,” a provision in the executive order said.
The Chairperson of the Bar examinations is Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and the Bar Examinations support staff are: Atty. Cara Maglaya Batocabe (Leonen’s office); Rhonie Abrera (Office of the Bar Confidant); Jasper Leoncito (Office of Admin Services); and Roberto Cao (Security Division).
The Host Coordination Committee is composed of: Atty. Nelson Legacion, city mayor; Atty. Antonio Rivero, dean UNC School of Law; and Executive Judge Erwin Virgilio Ferrer of the Regional Trial Court-Naga City.