The Family Code of the Philippines

Table of Contents

Title I. Marriage

Chapter 1. Requisites of Marriage

Article 1          Marriage, defined; purposes and characteristics Article 2          Marriage, essential requisites Article 3          Marriage, formal requisites Article 4          Effect of absence of essential or formal requisites Article 5          Minimum age for marriage Article 6          Marriage ceremony Article 7          Persons authorized to solemnize marriages Article 8          Place of solemnization of marriage Article 9          Issuance of marriage license Article 10        Marriage by consular officials Article 11        Marriage license application Article 12        Determination of required age by local civil registrar Article 13        Documents required if parties were previously married Article 14        Parental consent required Article 15        Parental advice required Article 16        Marriage counseling required Article 17        Posting of notice of marriage license application Article 18        Knowledge of marriage impediments by local civil registrar Article 19        Marriage license fees Article 20        Validity of marriage license Article 21        Marriage by foreign citizens Article 22        Marriage certificate or contract Article 23        Distribution of copies of marriage certificate Article 24        Duty of local civil registrar to prepare documents, administer oaths Article 25        Registry Book Article 26        Marriage by Filipinos outside the Philippines

Chapter 2. Exempt From License Requirement

Article 27        Marriage in articulo mortis Article 28        Marriage in an inaccessible place Article 29        Sworn affidavit of solemnizing officer Article 30        Affidavit to be sent to local civil registrar Article 31        Marriage solemnized by ship captain or airplane pilot Article 32        Marriage solemnized by military commander Article 33        Marriage by Muslims and cultural

minorities Article 34        Marriage by parties who have cohabited for at least five years

Chapter 3. Void and Voidable Marriage

Article 35        Void marriages         Article 36        Psychological incapacity Article 37        Void incestuous marriages Article 38        Void marriages by reason of public policy Article 39        No prescription in void marriages Article 40        Judicial declaration of nullity of marriage required Article 41        Void, valid subsequent marriage Article 42        Subsequent marriage terminated by recording of affidavit of reappearance Article 43        Effects of termination of second marriage by reappearance Article 44        Bad faith of both spouses of subsequent marriage Article 45        Grounds for annulment of marriage Article 46        Circumstances that constitute fraud Article 47        Prescriptive period to bring action fro annulment Article 48        Rules in actions for annulment or declaration of absolute nullity of marriage Article 49        Support and custody during pendency of cases Article 50        Matters to be disposed of in final judgment Article 51        Delivery of presumptive legitimes Article 52        Registration of final judgment of annulment or declaration of absolute nullity Article 53        Effects of subsequent marriage without registration of final judgment Article 54        Legitimacy of children of voidable or void marriages

Title II. Legal Separation

Article 55        Legal separation, defined               Article 56        Grounds for denial of petition for legal separation Article 57        Period to file action for legal separation Article 58        Six months cooling-off period Article 59        Duty of Court to initiate reconciliation Article 60        No legal separation based on stipulation of facts or confession of judgment Article 61        Effects of filing petition for legal separation Article 62        Support of spouses and custody of children during pendency of petition Article 63        Effects of decree of legal separation Article 64        Other effects of decree of legal

separation            Article 65        Filing of joint manifestation of reconciliation Article 66        Effects of reconciliation Article 67        Agreement to revive former property regime

Title III. Rights and Obligations Between Husband and Wife

Article 68        Personal obligations of the spouses

Article 69        Who decides on the family domicile Article 70        Responsibility for family support Article 71        Household management by both spouses Article 72        Relief from the courts in case of disagreement Article 73        Exercise by a spouse of a profession, industry, etc

Title IV. Property Relations Between Husband and Wife

Chapter 1. General Provisions

Article 74        How shall property relations to be governed          Article 75        Property regimes that may be agreed upon by spouses Article 76        Modification of the marriage settlement Article 77        Form of marriage settlements and its modifications Article 78        Marriage settlements by minor Article 79        Marriage settlements by persons under civil interdiction or other disability Article 80        Property relations governed by Philippine law Article 81        Stipulations in marriage settlements void if marriage does not take place

Chapter 2. Donations by Reason of Marriage

Article 82        Requisites for donations propter nuptias

Article 83        Donations propter nuptias governed by rules on ordinary donations Article 84        One-fifth limitation on present property Article 85        Donations propter nuptias of encumbered property Article 86        Grounds for revocation Article 87        Void donations or grants of gratuitous advantage between spouses during the marriage

Chapter 3. System of Absolute Community

Section 1. General Provisions

Article 88        System of absolute community of property (ACP) explained      Article 89        Effects of ACP during the marriage Article 90        Rules on co-ownership suppletory to ACP

Section 2. What Constitutes Community Property

Article 91        What constitutes community property Article 92        Properties excluded from the community property Article 93        Presumptions on property acquired during marriage

Section 3. Charges Upon and Obligations of the Absolute Community

Article 94        Obligations and charges upon the ACP Article 95        What may not be charged upon the ACP

Section 4. Ownership, Administration, Enjoyment and Disposition of the Community Property

Article 96        Ownership, administration, etc. of ACP     Article 97        Disposition of interest in the ACP by will Article 98        Donation of ACP property void without marital consent

Section 5. Dissolution of Absolute Community Regime

Article 99       Causes and effects of termination of ACP Article 100     Effects of separation de facto on the ACP Article 101     Abandonment or failure to comply with obligations           Section 6. Liquidation of the Absolute Community Assets and Liabilities

Article 102     Procedure in liquidation, inventory and payment of obligations of the ACP Article 103     Liquidation of ACP upon death of either spouse Article 104     Liquidation of community properties of two or more marriages

Chapter 4. Conjugal Partnership of Gains

Section 1. General Provisions

   Article 105     When Conjugal Partnership (CPG) governs                     Article 106     What constitutes the CPG Article 107     When the CPG commences Article 108     Rules governing the CPG

Section 2. Exclusive Property of Each Spouse

Article 109     Exclusive property of each spouse Article 110     Rights of each spouse over exclusive property Article 111     Other rights over his/her exclusive property Article 112     Alienation of exclusive property terminates the spouse’s administration Article 113     Property donated to or acquired by will Article 114     Onerous donations to the spouses Article 115     Rules on benefits received by the spouses

Section 3. Conjugal Partnership Property

Article 116     Property acquired during marriage presumed conjugal Article 117     Properties that comprise the CPG Article 118     Rules on property bought on installment basis Article 119     Payments of principal, exclusive property; interest, conjugal Article 120     Rules on improvements or buildings made on separate property

Section 4. Charges Upon and Obligations of the Conjugal Partnership

Article 121     Obligations and charges upon the CPG Article 122     Personal debts, fines and pecuniary liabilities of each spouse Article 123     What may not be charged upon the CPG

Section 5. Administration of the Conjugal Partnership Property

Article 124     Administration, enjoyment, disposition of the CPG Article 125     Donation of CPG property void without marital consent; exception

Section 6. Dissolution of Conjugal Partnership of Gains

Article 126     Causes and effects of termination of CPG Article 127     Separation in fact, effects on CPG Article 128     Situations under this Article;

abandonment

Section 7. Liquidation of the Conjugal Partnership Assets and Liabilities

Article 129     Steps in liquidating the CPG Article 130     Liquidation of CPG upon death of either spouse Article 131     Liquidation of CPG properties of two or more marriagesArticle 132     Applicability of Rules of Court Article 133     Support during liquidation of CPG

Chapter 5. Separation of Property of the Spouses and Administration of Common Property by One Spouse During the Marriage

Article 134     Judicial separation of property Article 135     Sufficient case for judicial separation of property Article 136     Steps in voluntary separation of property Article 137     Liquidation upon separation of property; support Article 138     Regime after dissolution Article 139     Recording of requirements Article 140     Protections to creditors        Article 141     Revival of prior regime Article 142     Transfer of administration of conjugal property

Chapter 6. Regime of Separation of Property

Article 143     Regime of complete separation of property defined Article 144     Kinds of separation of property Article 145     Rights of each spouse over his/her property Article 146     Liability of each spouse for family expenses

Chapter 7. Property Regimes of Unions Without Marriages

Article 147     Unions without marriage, under a void marriage; rules Article 148     Rules on wages and salaries, acquired properties, etc

Title V. The Family

Chapter 1. The Family as an Institution

Article 149     Definition of family Article 150     Persons having family relations with each other

Article 151     Earnest efforts at compromise before suits between family members Article 152     Definition of family home Article 153     How family home is constituted Article 154     Beneficiaries of family home Article 155     Liabilities of the family home Article 156     What properties constitute the family home Article 157     Maximum value of the family home Article 158     Alienation or encumbrance of the family home Article 159     Effect of death on the family home Article 160     Liability of family home to creditors Article 161     Limitation on constitution of family home Article 162     Applicability to existing family residences

Title VI. Paternity and Filiation

Chapter 1. Legitimate Children

Article 163     Kinds of filiation of children Article 164     Natural legitimate children; artificial insemination Article 165     Illegitimate children Article 166     Grounds to impugn legitimacy of a child Article 167     Declaration of mother against legitimacy of a child Article 168     Status of child whose mother contracts another marriageArticle 169     Children born 300 days after termination of marriage Article 170     Who can and when to impugn legitimacy of a child Article 171     When heirs may impugn legitimacy

Chapter 2. Proof of Filiation

Article 172     How to establish or prove filiation   Article 173     Who can and when to bring action to claim legitimacy Article 174     Rights of legitimate children

Chapter 3. Illegitimate Children

Article 175     Proof of filiation of illegitimate children; when and how to bring action to claim filiation Article 176     Rights of illegitimate children

Chapter 4. Legitimated Children

Article 177     Who can be legitimated Article 178     When legitimation takes place Article 179     Rights of legitimated children Article 180     Retroactive effect of legitimation Article 181     Legitimation benefits child’s descendants

Article 182     Who can and when to impugn legitimation; grounds

Title VII. Adoption

Article 183     Definition and purpose of adoption; who may be adopted Article 184     Who may not adopt Article 185     Adoption jointly by husband and wife Article 186     Joint parental authority in adoption Article 187     Who may not be adopted Article 188     Consent necessary for adoption Article 189     Effects of adoption Article 190     Rules on legal or intestate succession Article 191     Rescission of adoption Article 192     Rescission of adoption by adopters Article 193     Rescission where adopted is a minor or handicapped; legal effects

Title VII. Support

Article 194     What is included in support Article 195     Who are obliged to support each other Article 196     Support between illegitimate brothers and sisters Article 197     Properties liable for support of relatives Article 198     Support during certain proceedings Article 199     Order of support Article 200     Rules when obligation to support falls upon two or more persons Article 201     Rules on amount of support Article 202     Amount of support subject to change or modification Article 203     Demandibility of support Article 204     Options given to the obligor Article 205     Support exempt from attachment or execution Article 206     When stranger gives support Article 207     Unjust refusal to give support Article 208     Support by contract or will

Title IX. Parental Authority

Chapter 1. General Provisions

Article 209     What is parental authority Article 210     Parental authority cannot be renounced Article 211     Joint parental authority; duties of children under parental authority Article 212     Effect of death of one spouse or remarriage of surviving parent Article 213     Effect of separation of the parents

Article 214     Substitute parental authority by grandparent Article 215     Prohibited testimony

Chapter 2. Substitute and Special Parental Authority

Article 216     Persons exercising parental authority

Article 217     Parental authority over disadvantaged children Article 218     Persons exercising special parental authority Article 219     Liability of persons exercising special or substitute parental authority

Chapter 3. Effect of Parental Authority Upon the Person of the Children

Article 220     Rights and duties of parents            Article 221     Liability of parents and guardians for damages caused by children Article 222     Guardian for child’s property Article 223     Disciplinary measures by court order Article 224     Disciplinary measures to be imposed

Chapter 4. Effect of Parental Authority Upon the Property of the Children

Article 225     Joint legal guardianship over child’s property; bond         Article 226     Properties belonging to child in ownership; parents’ rights over fruits Article  227    Rules when parents entrust their property to a child

Chapter 5. Suspension or Termination of Parental Authority

Article 228     Permanent termination of parental authority Article 229     Revival of terminated parental authority Article 230     Suspension of parental authority by civil interdiction Article 231     Suspension and deprivation of parental authority by court order Article 232     Permanent deprivation of parental authority Article 233     Authority of persons exercising substitute or special parental authority

Title X. Emancipation and Age of Majority

Article 234     Emancipation of a child Article 235     (Repealed by RA 6809)

Article 236     Effect of emancipation Article 237     (Repealed by RA 6809)

Title XI. Summary Judicial Proceedings in the Family Law

Chapter I. Prefatory Provisions

Article 238     Scope of application of summary rules

Chapter 2. Separation in Fact Between Husband and Wife

Article 239     Verified petition for authorization to enter into transactionArticle 240     Claims for damages litigated in separate action Article 241     Jurisdiction over petition in RTC of either spouse’s residence Article 242     Notice to other spouse Article 243     Preliminary conference without lawyers Article 244     Court’s duty in non-appearance of the other spouse Article 245     Ex parte proceedings in other spouse’s absence Article 246     Petition decided in summary hearing Article 247     Judgment immediately final and executory Article 248     Rules governing petition for administration of separate property

Chapter 3. Incidents Involving Parental Authority

Article 249     Verified petition under Articles 223, 225 and 235 Article 250     Petition in court where child resides Article 251     Notice to parents or guardians Article 252     Rules in Chapter 2 applicable

Chapter 4. Other Matters Subject To Summary Proceedings

Article 253     Summary rules for Articles 41, 51, 69, 73, 96, 214, and 217

Title XII. Final Provisions

Article 254     Repeal of Titles in Book 1 of the Civil Code Article 255     Separability clause Article 256     Retroactive effect Article 257     Effectivity of the Family Code