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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Novation and Loan Enforceability: When a Verbal Change Makes a Debt Due
Explaining how a verbal agreement to start paying early can novate a loan's conditions, making it due and demandable under Philippine law.
CIAC Jurisdiction Prevails Over Contractual Conditions Precedent in Construction Arbitration
Philippine Supreme Court rules CIAC retains jurisdiction over construction disputes even when parties fail to comply with contractual conditions precedent like DAB referral.
Medical Negligence: The Duty to Consider Existing Conditions During Treatment
Philippine Supreme Court rules on seafarer disability claims, company-designated physician assessments, and the duty to consider pre-existing conditions.
Seafarer Compensation Rights: Work-Related Injury Claims and Pre-Existing Conditions in Philippine Maritime La
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer compensation for work-related injuries despite pre-existing conditions, and the legal standards for disability claims.
Automatic Reversion in Donations: Land Returns to Donor, Improvements Stay With Donee
Supreme Court rules on automatic reversion of donated land when conditions fail, and the fate of buildings on reverted property.
Health Care Agreements: Insurers Must Prove Pre-Existing Conditions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who bears the burden of proving pre-existing conditions in health care agreements, and insurer liability for damages.
When Working Conditions Worsen Ailments Entitlement TO Employee Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court rules on employee compensation when working conditions increase the risk of contracting an ailment.
Waiver of Contractual Conditions in the Philippines: Lessons from Gonzales v. Lim
Learn when a party waives a contractual condition under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Gonzales v. Lim.
Resolutory Conditions and Airport Expansion: Land Ownership Reversion in Philippine Law
When government stops using expropriated land for its stated purpose, ownership may revert to the original owner under a resolutory condition.
Warrantless Vehicle Searches: When Can Police Search Your Car in the Philippines
Philippine law allows warrantless vehicle searches under certain conditions. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling on illegal lumber transport.
Constructive Dismissal Claims Require Proof of Employer Knowledge and Inaction
Supreme Court clarifies that voluntary resignation stands unless the employee proves the employer knew of intolerable conditions and did nothing.
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.
Conditional Donations in the Philippines: When Can a Donor Revoke a Gift?
Philippine law treats onerous donations as contracts. Learn when a donor can revoke a gift if conditions are unmet, and the prescriptive period that applies.
Constructive Dismissal: When Employer Actions Create Unbearable Working Conditions
Constructive dismissal happens when an employer makes continued work unbearable, forcing an employee to resign. Learn how Philippine law and the Supreme Court treat it.
Parol Evidence Rule Bars Verbal Conditions on Written Contracts: Allied Banking v. Cheng Yong
Supreme Court clarifies that clear written contracts cannot be varied by verbal stipulations, applying the parol evidence rule to loan and mortgage agreements.
Fiscal Autonomy of Constitutional Commissions: The "No Report, No Release" Rule Struck Down
Supreme Court rules DBM cannot impose conditions or withhold funds from fiscally autonomous bodies like the Civil Service Commission.
Constructive Dismissal: Demotion and Altered Work Conditions as Illegal Termination
When a demotion and altered work schedule make continued employment unreasonable, it amounts to constructive dismissal, entitling workers to backwages and reinstatement.
Loan Agreements: The Bank's Obligation to Release Funds and Consequences of Non-Compliance
When can a bank withhold loan proceeds? Philippine National Bank v. RBL Enterprises clarifies the rules on loan release, conditions precedent, and damages.
Option to Buy: Exercising Rights Without Immediate Payment
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that an option to buy can be exercised without immediate payment, but only under specific conditions.
Contract to Sell vs Contract of Sale: Understanding Conditions and Obligations
Learn the key differences between a contract to sell and a contract of sale under Philippine law, including when ownership transfers and what obligations arise.
Upholding Insurance Claims Substantial Compliance AND Timely Payment Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on substantial compliance with insurance policy conditions and the insurer's duty to pay claims within prescribed periods.
When a Buyer’s Conditional Offer to Pay Becomes a Breach: Lessons from Velarde v. Raymundo
A buyer who offers to pay only if new conditions are met may be in breach, entitling the seller to rescind the sale.
Adultery and Its Consequences: Honor, Outrage, and the Limits of Justifiable Homicide in the Philippines
When a spouse kills a cheating partner caught in flagrante, Philippine law may spare them from prison—but only under strict conditions.
Compromise Agreements: The Binding Force of Reduced Debt vs Contractual Conditions
A Supreme Court ruling explains when a compromise agreement binds a creditor, the limits of fraud claims, and the legal nature of stale manager's checks.