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Statute
Philippine Civil Code
Article
Art. 1137
Topic
Prescription of Ownership and Other Real Rights
Status
In force
Book
BOOK III DIFFERENT MODES OF ACQUIRING OWNERSHIP Preliminary Provision
Title
TITLE V PRESCRIPTION
Chapter
CHAPTER 2 Prescription of Ownership and Other Real Rights
Formerly
Art. 1959a of the old Civil Code
Year
1949
Cited by
Multiple Supreme Court decisions

The provision

Ownership and other real rights over immovables also prescribe through uninterrupted adverse possession thereof for thirty years, without need of title or of good faith. (1959a)

Intellegal Wiki · In plain terms

Thirty years of uninterrupted adverse possession acquires ownership and other real rights over immovables without any need of title or of good faith. This is extraordinary acquisitive prescription, the counterpart of the ten-year ordinary period in Article 1134. What it dispenses with is the good faith and just title that Article 1117 requires for ordinary prescription; it does not dispense with the character of the possession itself, which must still be in the concept of owner, public, peaceful and uninterrupted under Article 1118.

An editorially maintained plain-language explanation of this provision — not legal advice.

Cases applying this article

Other Supreme Court decisions also apply this article.

Related provisions in this Chapter

Civil Code, Art. 1137 is found in CHAPTER 2 Prescription of Ownership and Other Real Rights of TITLE V PRESCRIPTION of BOOK III DIFFERENT MODES OF ACQUIRING OWNERSHIP Preliminary Provision of the Civil Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 386).

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Reviewed by the Intellegal Legal Team for currency against amending laws and Supreme Court jurisprudence.

Research aid — not legal advice. Verify the current text against the Official Gazette. Provisions may have been amended or repealed. Using this page creates no attorney-client relationship. For legal advice, consult a Philippine lawyer.