What are the sources of obligations under Philippine law?

Answer

Under Article 1157 of the Civil Code, obligations arise from five sources: (1) law; (2) contracts; (3) quasi-contracts; (4) acts or omissions punished by law (delicts — the civil liability arising from a crime); and (5) quasi-delicts (fault or negligence causing damage where there is no pre-existing contract between the parties).

An obligation is a juridical necessity to give, to do, or not to do. The source of the obligation matters because it determines the rules that govern it — an obligation from a contract is governed by the stipulations of the parties and the law on contracts, while one from a quasi-delict is governed by the rules on torts.

Sources & further reading

• Civil Code Art. 1157 — sources of obligations
• Full report: obligations & contracts

Cases on this topic

• Corazon L. Escueta v. Rufina Lim
• Cueno v. Bautista
• Famanila v. Court of Appeals
• Fullido v. Grilli
• Gloria S. Dy v. People
• William Alain Miailhe v. Court of Appeals
• Zaide v. Empire East Landholdings

Related questions

• What are the requisites of a valid contract in the Philippines?