Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Fixed-Term Contracts in the Philippines: When Are They Valid? Caparoso v. Court of Appeals Explained
Understand when fixed-term employment contracts are valid in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Caparoso v. Court of Appeals.
Venue Stipulations in Philippine Contracts: When a Chosen Court Isn't Exclusive
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when contract venue clauses are binding and exclusive, and when they merely add another option for filing suit.
Fixed-Term Employment in the Philippines: When Contracts Don't Guarantee Fixed Terms
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when fixed-term employment contracts are invalid for circumventing security of tenure.
Equitable Mortgage in Philippine Law: When a Sale Is Not Really a Sale
Learn how Philippine courts treat contracts that appear as sales but are actually loans secured by property, and what equitable mortgage means for property owners.
Land as Attorney’s Fees: Enforcing Written Contracts for Legal Services in the Philippines
Philippine courts uphold written attorney’s fee contracts, even those paid in land, provided the essential elements of a valid contract are present.
Zoning Regulations vs Contractual Obligations: Balancing Public Welfare and Private Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on zoning ordinances, police power, and the non-impairment of contracts clause.
Loan Foreclosure in the Philippines: Why Written Contracts Matter
A Supreme Court ruling shows why written loan terms govern foreclosure. Learn key lessons from Baluyut v. Poblete.
Partial Signatures Full Liability Understanding Contracts To Sell CO Owned Property IN THE Philippines
Learn when a contract to sell co-owned property binds all owners, even with only some signatures, under Philippine law.
Perfected Contract of Sale: The Necessity of Unequivocal Agreement on Price and Terms in Real Estate Transacti
Learn how Philippine courts treat contracts of sale, emphasizing the need for clear agreement on price and terms to avoid disputes.
Dation in Payment and Perfected Contracts of Sale Under Philippine Law
When is a deposit earnest money? This case explains when a contract of sale is perfected and why a bank's qualified acceptance was only a counter-offer.
Exclusivity Clauses in Philippine Contracts: When Are They Valid?
Exclusivity clauses are not automatically invalid restraints of trade in the Philippines. They are enforceable when reasonable and tied to legitimate business interests.
Interest Rate Dynamics Determining Proper Compensation In Contractual Rescission
Learn how Philippine courts determine interest rates and compensation when contracts are rescinded, using the BPI-Family Savings Bank case as a guide.
Regular vs Project Employment: Security of Tenure Prevails Over Contractual Loopholes
Supreme Court rules that continuous work in vital tasks makes an employee regular, not project, despite contracts and agency schemes.
Interest on Loans and the Necessity of Written Agreements for Enforceability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on double sales, good faith, and why written contracts matter for property and loan enforceability.
Tax Credit Certificates: Government's Right to Collect Taxes Remains Despite Alleged Fraud
Supreme Court ruling on tax credit certificates, government's right to collect taxes, and contractor payment disputes in Philippine construction contracts.
Protecting Subdivision Buyers: Contracts to Sell Must Be Registered
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that subdivision developers must register contracts to sell with the Register of Deeds under P.D. 957.
Presidential Approval and Contract Validity: Limits of Executive Power in Philippine Procurement
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when presidential approval is required for government contracts and the limits of executive discretion in procurement.
COA Overpayment Recovery Upheld: Quantum Meruit in Government Contracts
Supreme Court affirms COA's order for a contractor to return overpayments, clarifying quantum meruit and due process in government audit cases.
When Public Duty and Private Conduct Collide: A Judge’s Venue Ruling Upheld
The Supreme Court affirms a judge’s dismissal of a case for improper venue, clarifying exclusive venue stipulations in loan contracts.
Mortgage Foreclosure: Why Stipulated Notice Requirements Matter in Real Estate Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on extrajudicial foreclosure: stipulated notice requirements in mortgage contracts are mandatory and enforceable.
Substandard Deliveries in Government Contracts: When Penalties Apply
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a milling contractor can be held liable for substandard rice deliveries under government contracts.
Conditional Contracts to Sell: When Buyers' Payment Hinges on Sellers' Prior Mortgage Release
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in a contract to sell, buyers need not pay until sellers secure mortgage release, and rescission under Article 1191 does not apply.
Fixed-Term vs Regular Employment: Know Your Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when fixed-term employment contracts are valid and when they violate the security of tenure of regular employees.
Usury Law and Contractual Obligations: Striking the Balance in Loan Agreements
The Supreme Court clarifies how the Usury Law interacts with loan restructuring, refinancing, and the binding force of contracts in DBP v. CA.