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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AMLC Registration in the Philippines: Who Counts as a Covered Person
AMLC registration in the Philippines applies to banks, pawnshops, money changers, e-money issuers and other covered persons. Know if your business must register.
Franchise Financing in the Philippines: Banks, Leases, and Security Arrangements
Franchise financing in the Philippines combines bank loans, equipment leases, and security arrangements governed by the Civil Code and the Revised Corporation Code.
BSP Circular 1160: Financial Consumer Protection Rules for Banks and E-Money Issuers
BSP Circular 1160 implements the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act, setting the consumer protection rules that banks and other BSP-supervised institutions must follow.
BSP Enforcement Actions and Penalties: How the Bangko Sentral Fines Banks and Officers
BSP enforcement actions and penalties: the maximum fines under Section 37 of the New Central Bank Act, who may be penalized, and how payment works.
BSP Bank Closure Powers: What the Supreme Court Ruling Means for Depositors
The Supreme Court upheld the BSP's power to close banks without prior hearing, protecting depositors while limiting legal challenges.
When Can a Bank Apply Your Payment to Another Debt? Supreme Court Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when banks may apply loan payments to other debts, protecting borrowers from unfair payment application.
When Banks Can't Apply Loan Payments Across Different Debtors: Corporate Veil Rules
Supreme Court clarifies when a bank may apply a borrower's payment to another's debt, and why corporate separateness limits payment application.
Check Kiting and Actual Damages: Proving Real Loss in Banking Fraud
Supreme Court clarifies that banks must prove actual pecuniary loss to claim damages from check kiting schemes.
Bank Negligence in the Philippines: The BDO v. Seastres Case on Extraordinary Diligence
When banks fail to exercise extraordinary diligence, they can be held fully liable for unauthorized withdrawals, as the Supreme Court ruled in BDO v. Seastres.
Mortgage IN BAD Faith Banks Duty OF Diligence IN Real Estate Transactions 2
Bank Negligence and Fiduciary Duty: PNBS Responsibility to Depositors
When banks fail depositors, liability follows. This case clarifies the fiduciary duty and negligence standards for Philippine banks.
CBA Stability vs Management Prerogative: Loan Policy Changes Ruled Invalid
Supreme Court rules banks cannot unilaterally add conditions to CBA-embedded loan programs, affirming collective bargaining rights.
Escrow Funds and Execution of Judgments: Rights of Third-Party Banks Clarified
Supreme Court clarifies when escrow funds may be reached in executing money judgments, protecting third-party banks from premature court orders.
Liability for Forged Checks When Collecting Banks Bear the Loss
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on collecting bank liability for forged endorsements, negligence standards, and the fictitious payee rule.
Loan Agreements and Dacion en Pago: Key Insights from a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when a loan settlement agreement becomes a dacion en pago and what it means for borrowers and banks.
Due Process in Foreclosure: Banks Must Personally Notify Mortgagors
The Supreme Court now requires banks to personally notify mortgagors before extrajudicial foreclosure, reversing decades of precedent under Act No. 3135.
Unilateral Interest Rate Hikes When Banks Overstep Their Bounds In Loan Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court rules on void unilateral interest rate hikes by banks, mutuality of contracts, and foreclosure validity.
Understanding Loan Agreements and Foreclosure: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when banks may foreclose and how courts interpret loan agreements, credit lines, and restructuring contracts in the Philippines.
Loan Agreements and Interest Rates: Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when banks may impose penalty charges and compound interest under loan restructuring agreements.
Understanding Jurisdiction in Bank Liquidation: Filing Claims Against Closed Banks in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts handle claims against closed banks, including the liquidation court's exclusive jurisdiction under RA 7653.
Bank Liability and Depositor Rights: Fiduciary Duties in the Philippines
The Supreme Court affirms that banks owe depositors extraordinary diligence, and a bank cannot escape liability for its employees' unauthorized acts.
The Fiduciary Duty of Banks in Loan Accounting: A Guide to Metrobank v. Cruz
The Supreme Court affirms that banks owe clients a fiduciary duty to keep accurate loan records and render full accounting, beyond any internal retention policy.
Mortgagee in Good Faith: Protecting Banks and Borrowers in Property Transactions
Supreme Court ruling on mortgagee in good faith doctrine and banks' duty of diligence in property loans.
When a Bank Fails: Jurisdiction Over Claims Against Banks Under Liquidation
Philippine Supreme Court rules on which court hears claims against a bank placed under PDIC liquidation, voiding orders from a court without jurisdiction.