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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Work Relatedness and Death Benefits: Proving Causal Links in Compensation Claims
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when illnesses like breast cancer qualify for death benefits under PD 626, requiring proof of work-related risk.
Just Compensation in Expropriation: Fair Market Value and the Role of Commissioners' Reports
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how courts must determine just compensation in expropriation cases, and the proper weight of commissioners' reports.
Proving Causation in Delayed Illness Claims: Philippine Employee Compensation Law
Learn how Philippine courts decide employee compensation claims when illness or death occurs years after employment ends, and what proof is required.
Automatic Debt Relief: How Legal Compensation Can Extinguish Obligations
Legal compensation extinguishes debts automatically under Philippine law. The Supreme Court explains when mutual obligations offset each other by operation of law.
Restrictions on Allowances for Water District Directors: Balancing Compensation and Public Service
The Supreme Court clarifies which allowances water district directors may receive under PD 198, prohibiting all compensation beyond per diems.
Land Acquisition and Just Compensation: Proving Government Taking in Agrarian Reform
Landowner's claim for just compensation fails because she failed to prove actual government taking under agrarian reform laws.
Unjust Enrichment and Extra Work: When Contractors Get Paid for Necessary Additions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on contractor compensation for necessary extra work, unjust enrichment, and liquidated damages in construction contracts.
Protecting Landowner Rights Due Process and Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform
Learn how the Supreme Court balanced landowner due process rights with farmer-beneficiary qualifications in agrarian reform cases under RA 6657.
Employees' Compensation Claims: When Occupational Diseases Are Compensable
GSIS v. Valenciano clarifies when hypertension, pneumonia, and tuberculosis are compensable under Philippine employees' compensation law.
Work-Related Illness Compensation in the Philippines: Employee Rights Under PD 626 Explained
Learn how the GSIS vs. Valenciano case clarifies compensable work-related illnesses under PD 626, including occupational disease rules and employee rights.
Mining Rights vs Property Rights: Balancing Public Benefit and Just Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on the Mining Act of 1995, explaining when entry into private lands becomes compensable taking.
When Does A Workplace Aggravate A Pre-Existing Condition Understanding Employees Compensation
The Supreme Court clarifies when workplace conditions aggravate pre-existing illnesses and how this affects employees' compensation claims in the Philippines.
Just Compensation in the Philippines: Value Pegged at Time of Taking, Not Current Market Value
Philippine law pegs just compensation at the time of taking, not current market value. MIAA v. Rodriguez explains the rule.
When Government Takes Property Without Expropriation: Just Compensation Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how to value property taken by government without expropriation proceedings, and when back rentals are due.
Just Compensation in Expropriation: Prior Payment and Lienholders' Rights Under RA 8974
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on prior payment of just compensation in expropriation and the rights of lienholders like contractors and suppliers.
Judicial Determination of Just Compensation Prevails in Agrarian Reform Cases
Learn how the Supreme Court affirmed that courts, not administrative agencies, have final authority over just compensation in agrarian reform cases.
Eminent Domain vs Rulemaking: Prioritizing Fair Compensation in Expropriation
The Supreme Court clarifies that RA 8974 governs expropriation of national infrastructure projects, prioritizing immediate payment to property owners over Rule 67's deposit system.
When Can Unpaid Wages Be Offset Against Company Property? The Nadela Case
Philippine Supreme Court explains when legal compensation applies to offset unpaid wages against company property in employee's custody.
Overcoming Technicalities in Employees Compensation for Associated Illnesses
How the Supreme Court ruled that a worker's death from a non-listed illness may still be compensable if associated with a compensable disease.
Eminent Domain and Just Compensation: Manila's Duty to Pay for Expropriated Land
The Supreme Court rules that local governments must promptly pay just compensation for expropriated property, and cannot delay through procedural maneuvers.
Per Diem Is the Limit: Examining Compensation for Water District Directors
The Supreme Court clarifies that water district directors may receive only per diems under PD 198, not other allowances or benefits.
When Debts Collide: Understanding Legal Compensation in Philippine Contract Law
Learn how Philippine courts apply legal compensation in contract disputes, using the Mavest v. Sampaguita case as a guide.
When Is Just Compensation Determined in Expropriation Cases? A Key Supreme Court Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the reckoning point for just compensation in expropriation cases—at actual taking, not at filing.
Workplace Stress and Heart Attacks: Protecting Employees Under Philippine Labor Law
Can a driver-messenger claim compensation for a heart attack? The Supreme Court says yes when work stress and strain contribute. Learn the rules.