Moral vs. exemplary vs. nominal damages — what is the difference?

Answer

All three are Civil Code damages with different purposes. Moral damages (Article 2217) compensate non-physical injury; nominal damages (Article 2221) vindicate a right where no measurable loss was proved; exemplary damages (Article 2229) are imposed for the public good, always in addition to another category and never as a matter of right (Article 2233).

A key link: the plaintiff must first establish entitlement to moral, temperate, or compensatory damages before exemplary damages may be awarded (Article 2234). For all of them, no proof of pecuniary loss is required (Article 2216).

Sources & further reading

• Full report: moral, exemplary & nominal damages
• Civil Code Art. 2217 — moral damages
• Civil Code Art. 2221 — nominal damages
• Civil Code Art. 2229 — exemplary damages

Cases on this topic

• Domingo Imperial v. Venancio Ziga
• Gashem Shookat Baksh v. Court of Appeals
• Hometown Development, Inc. v. Union Bank of the Philippines
• Joaquina Ventura v. Eusebio Bernabe
• Local Government of Quezon City v. Sy
• Lourdes Munsayac v. Benedicta De Lara
• Michael C. Guy v. Raffy Tulfo
• Occena v. Icamina

Related questions

• What are moral damages under Philippine law?
• What are exemplary damages under Philippine law?
• What are nominal damages under Philippine law?
• What is a quasi-delict, and how does it lead to damages?
• When can you recover moral damages for breach of contract?