Republic Act No. 386 · June 18, 1950
The Civil Code of the Philippines, Plain Language.
Republic Act 386 — signed by President Elpidio Quirino on June 18, 1950 and effective August 30, 1950 — is the foundational statute of Philippine private law. It governs how Filipinos own property, form contracts, inherit from their parents, and seek damages when someone wrongs them.
Most Filipinos interact with the Civil Code every single day without knowing it. Every sale, lease, loan, marriage, and inheritance is governed by its 2,270 articles. BatasKo breaks down the most important provisions in plain language — no law dictionary required.
2,270
Total articles
4 Books + PT
Books + Preliminary
1950
Enacted
All 2,270 articles
Every article has an ELI5 plain-language guide. Articles marked ★ are key provisions with in-depth analysis.
Preliminary Title
Preliminary Title
Effect and application of laws, customs as sources of law, civil personality, capacity to act, family relations, and juridical persons such as corporations and associations.
Arts. 1–36
Book I — Persons
Book I — Persons and Family Relations
Who has legal personality, domicile, marriage and its validity, legal separation, property relations between spouses, parental authority, support, and adoption.
Arts. 37–413
Book II — Property
Book II — Property, Ownership, and Its Modifications
What counts as property (movable vs immovable), ownership and its limitations, nuisance, easements and servitudes, usufruct, and the use and habitation of others' property.
Arts. 414–711
Book III — Ownership Modes
Book III — Different Modes of Acquiring Ownership
How ownership transfers: occupation of abandoned things, intellectual creation, donation (giving property as a gift), and succession — who inherits when someone dies, whether or not they left a will.
Arts. 712–1155
Book IV — Obligations & Contracts
Book IV — Obligations and Contracts
The heartbeat of Philippine civil and commercial life. What an obligation is, when it is fulfilled or extinguished, what makes a contract valid or void, and quasi-delicts (liability for harm caused by negligence even without a contract).
Arts. 1156–2270
Plain language explainers
Most-Searched Provisions, Explained Simply.
Art. 19
Rights & DignityThe General Abuse of Rights Principle
Every person must act with justice, give everyone his due, and observe honesty and good faith. This single article is the basis for thousands of civil damage suits in the Philippines — if you abuse a right to harm someone else, you owe them damages.
Art. 26
PrivacyRight to Privacy and Dignity
Every person shall respect the dignity, personality, privacy, and peace of mind of his neighbors. Prying into private life, meddling in family affairs, vexing someone with insults — these can all give rise to civil damages even if no crime was committed.
Arts. 1305–1306
ContractsWhat a Contract Is
A contract is a meeting of minds between two persons whereby one binds himself to give something or to render some service. Parties are free to stipulate any terms — as long as they are not contrary to law, morals, good customs, public order, or public policy.
Art. 1318
ContractsThe Three Essentials of a Valid Contract
No contract exists without all three: (1) consent of the contracting parties, (2) object certain which is the subject matter of the contract, and (3) cause of the obligation established. Miss any one, and the contract is void from the start.
Art. 2176
Torts & DamagesQuasi-Delicts — Liability Without a Contract
If you cause damage to another by act or omission through fault or negligence, you are obliged to pay damages — even if there is no pre-existing contractual relation. This is the legal foundation for personal injury and property damage tort claims in the Philippines.
Art. 774
InheritanceWhat Succession / Inheritance Is
Succession is a mode of acquisition whereby the property, rights, and obligations of a person are transmitted to his heirs upon death. This includes debts — heirs inherit both the assets and the liabilities up to the value of what they receive.
Context
Why the Civil Code Matters to Every Filipino
- —Every Filipino who buys a house, signs a lease, borrows money, gets married, or wants to sue for damages is using the Civil Code — even if they have never read a single article of it.
- —The Family Code (Executive Order 209, 1987) replaced the Civil Code's marriage and family provisions starting August 3, 1988. But the Civil Code still governs property, contracts, and succession.
- —Books I–III lay the legal groundwork — who has rights, what property is, and how ownership moves. Book IV (Obligations and Contracts) is where most civil lawsuits actually happen.
- —Quasi-delicts under Art. 2176 are the Philippine equivalent of tort law. If a driver runs a red light and hits your car, you can sue for damages under the Civil Code even without filing criminal charges.
Legend
Mandatory section
For OFWs / Para sa OFW
The Civil Code follows you abroad. Several provisions apply specifically to Filipinos living and working outside the Philippines — whether you are an OFW in Saudi Arabia, a domestic worker in Hong Kong, or a professional in Canada.
- —Art. 15 — Philippine laws on family rights and duties, on the status, condition, and legal capacity of persons are binding upon citizens of the Philippines, even though living abroad. Your status as a married person, your capacity to enter contracts, and your obligations to your children follow you wherever you go.
- —Art. 16 — Real property situated in the Philippines is governed by Philippine law, even if the owner is an OFW living abroad. If you own a house and lot in Cebu while working in Dubai, Philippine succession and property law applies to that property.
- —Art. 17 — Forms and solemnities of contracts, wills, and other public instruments shall be governed by the laws of the country where they are executed. A contract you sign in your host country is generally valid under Philippine law if it is valid there — but any act against Philippine law or public policy remains void.
- —Inheritance and Succession — If you die abroad as a Filipino, Philippine succession law (Arts. 774–1105) governs your Philippine property. Your heirs in the Philippines inherit according to the Civil Code, including your spouse's share, your children's legitime, and your parents' reserved portions.
Sources
Legal disclaimer: BatasKo provides general legal information, not legal advice. This content is for civic education only. For advice on your specific civil law situation — property disputes, contract problems, inheritance — consult a licensed Filipino lawyer or the Public Attorney's Office (PAO).