Statute
Civil Code
Article
Art. 1157
Topic
Statutory provision
Status
In force
Book
BOOK IV Obligations and Contracts
Title
TITLE I Obligations
Chapter
CHAPTER 1 General Provisions
Year
1949
Cited by
Multiple Supreme Court decisions

The provision

Art. 1157. Obligations arise from:

(1) Law;

(2) Contracts;

(3) Quasi-contracts;

(4) Acts or omissions punished by law; and (5) Quasi-delicts. (1089a)

Intellegal Wiki · In plain terms

Lists the five sources from which legal obligations arise: law; contracts; quasi-contracts; acts or omissions punished by law (that is, crimes); and quasi-delicts (fault or negligence causing damage without a contract). Every enforceable obligation traces back to one of these origins.

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

Key points

Obligations arise from five sources only: (1) law; (2) contracts; (3) quasi-contracts; (4) acts or omissions punished by law (delicts); and (5) quasi-delicts. No obligation exists without one of these sources.

Cases applying this article

Related provisions in this Chapter

Related research

In-depth Intellegal research that analyzes this provision.

Civil Code, Art. 1157 is found in CHAPTER 1 General Provisions of TITLE I Obligations of BOOK IV Obligations and Contracts of the Civil Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 386).

Browse the Civil Code

Search Philippine statutes on Intellegal →

Continue your research on Intellegal

Search Philippine statutes on Intellegal →

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 Provisions may have been amended or repealed.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.