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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Mental Health AT SEA Compensability OF Schizophrenia Under THE Poea Contract
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.
Who's the Boss? Determining Employer Liability in Labor-Only Contracting
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a principal employer becomes solidarily liable with a labor-only contractor for workers' claims.
Mining Contract Transfers: When New Laws Don't Apply Retroactively
Supreme Court ruling on FTAA transfers, presidential approval requirements, and the non-retroactive application of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
Perfected Contract of Sale: The Decisive Role of Clear Agreement on Price
A "suggested indicative price" is not a definite price. The Supreme Court explains when a contract of sale is perfected.
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.
Bank Set-Off Rights: Limits and Liabilities in Loan Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when banks may validly offset deposits against loans, and the limits of contractual set-off rights.
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.
Surveyor Negligence and Contractual Breach: When Professionals Are Liable for Damages
A surveyor's negligent placement of boundary monuments led to a fence encroaching on a right of way. The Court explains liability for breach of contract.
Breach of Contract and Bad Faith: When Moral Damages Are Not Automatic in Sales Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that mere breach of contract does not justify moral damages absent proof of bad faith or fraud.
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.
Double Sale Doctrine Prior Rights and the Impact of Contractual Breach
Explaining the double sale doctrine under Philippine law, prior registration rights, and how contractual breaches affect ownership claims.
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.
Breach of Contract Rescission and the Importance of Proving Payment
A buyer who claims full payment must prove it with credible evidence; the Supreme Court explains rescission under Article 1191.
Agency vs Assignment: Who Is the Real Party in Interest in Contract Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a representative is an agent rather than an assignee, and who may sue on a contract.
Breach of Contract: Enforcing Penalty Clauses in Government Projects
Explaining when penalty clauses bind contractors in government projects, based on a Supreme Court ruling on DBP and PD 1594.
Breach of Contract When Fault Is Shared: Losses Lie Where They Fall
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on shared fault in contract breach—losses stay with the party that suffers them. Learn the rules.
Exclusive Venue Stipulations: When "Exclusively" Means What It Says
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a contractual venue stipulation is truly exclusive and binding on the parties.
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.
Mandatory Arbitration Prevails: Contractual Disputes Must Go to Arbitration First
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: when a contract has a mandatory arbitration clause, parties must arbitrate before going to court.
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.
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.
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.