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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Understanding Regular vs Fixed-Term Employment: Insights From a Landmark Supreme Court Ruling
A landmark ruling clarifies when fixed-term contracts are valid and when workers become regular employees entitled to security of tenure.
Prescription Period for Oral Contracts: What Creditors and Debtors Must Know
The Supreme Court clarifies the six-year prescription period for oral contracts and why timely action is critical for creditors and debtors.
Rehabilitation Proceedings Balancing Contractual Obligations AND Corporate Recovery
Explore how Philippine courts balance contractual obligations with corporate rehabilitation, ensuring fair treatment for creditors and debtors.
Government Procurement and Audit Disallowances: Lessons from a Landmark COA Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when government officials and contractors may be held liable for audit disallowances in public procurement projects.
Navigating Property Sale Disputes: The Importance of Accurate Contract Descriptions in Real Estate Transaction
A lawyer's drafting mistake won't bar contract reformation when the parties' true intent is clear from their acts.
Labor Contracting in the Philippines: When a Contractor's Registration Is Not Enough
The Supreme Court clarifies when a registered contractor is actually a labor-only contractor, making the principal the true employer.
Compulsory Insurance for OFWs: When Agency-Hired Coverage Applies
The Supreme Court clarifies when overseas Filipino workers are covered by compulsory insurance, and what happens when contracts are renewed.
Maritime Liability in Vessel Collisions: Fault, Insurance Claims, and the Code of Commerce
When vessels collide, determining liability depends on the cause of action—contract or tort. The Supreme Court clarifies the governing rules.
Illegal Dismissal of Seafarers: Due Process and Contract Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the twin notice rule and monetary awards for illegally dismissed seafarers under Philippine law.
Understanding Prescription Periods in Property Disputes: Lessons from a Landmark Philippine Case
Learn how prescription periods work in property disputes through the Supreme Court's ruling in Selerio v. Bancasan on interrupted timeframes and written contracts.
When a Surety Bond Must Be Honored: Cellpage v. Solid Guaranty Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies when a surety is liable despite no written principal contract, and how bank errors affect obligations.
Fixed-Term Employment in the Philippines: What the Supreme Court Says About Validity and Dismissal
Learn when fixed-term employment contracts are valid in the Philippines, and what the Supreme Court ruled in Tuppil v. LBP Service Corporation.
Understanding Death Benefits in Seafarer Contracts: Lessons from a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when death benefits are payable under domestic seafarer contracts, and what heirs should do when a contract is silent.
Seafarer Death Benefits: The Burden of Proof and Contract Limits in Work-Related Illness Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer death benefits, contract interpretation, and burden of proof for work-related illness claims.
Contract of Sale vs Contract to Sell: When Ownership Transfers in Philippine Real Estate
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between contract of sale and contract to sell, and when ownership actually transfers in real estate transactions.
Investment Contracts in Lending Businesses: Rights, Risks, and Recovery of Principal
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when investors in lending businesses can recover their principal and how courts distinguish investments from loans and partnerships.
Navigating Contractual Boundaries When CAN A Third Party BE Bound BY A Writ OF Attachment
Investment vs Loan: When a "Pay on Demand" Promise Binds the Investor
The Supreme Court clarifies when an investment becomes a recoverable obligation, and how the parties' own acts define their contract.
When Sellers May Keep Partial Payments in a Failed Property Sale
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a seller may keep partial payments as rentals after a failed contract to sell.
Illegal Dismissal and Contractual Rights for Seafarers: Key Lessons from Loadstar v. Erispe
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies seafarers' rights on illegal dismissal, vacation leave, overtime pay, and medical expense claims under the POEA-SEC.
Understanding Constructive Dismissal and Management Prerogatives in Philippine Employment Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a seafarer's cause of action for illegal dismissal accrues, and the limits of management prerogative in terminating overseas employment contracts.
Consent in Contracts: Supreme Court Voids Mortgage for Lack of Genuine Agreement
Supreme Court voids mortgage where a bank misled an elderly woman into signing a loan document she believed was a mere guarantee.
Employment Bonds and POEA-Approved Contracts: Key Lessons from a Recent Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when employment addenda are void, when resignation is involuntary, and who bears solidary liability for overseas workers' claims.
Breach of Contract: Enforceability of Employment Contracts Absent Actual Deployment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether a perfected employment contract binds parties even without actual deployment, and which court has jurisdiction over breach claims.