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THE CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

(REPUBLIC ACT NO. 386)
AN ACT TO ORDAIN AND INSTITUTE
THE CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

BOOK II
PROPERTY, OWNERSHIP, AND ITS
MODIFICATIONS
Title I. CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Art. 414. All things which are or may be the
object of appropriation are considered either:
(1) Immovable or real property; or
(2) Movable or personal property. (333)
Chapter 1
IMMOVABLE PROPERTY
Art. 415. The following are immovable property:
(1) Land, buildings, roads and constructions
of all kinds adhered to the soil;
(2) Trees, plants, and growing fruits, while
they are attached to the land or form an integral part
of an immovable;
(3) Everything attached to an immovable
in a fixed manner, in such a way that it cannot be
separated therefrom without breaking the material
or deterioration of the object;
(4) Statues, reliefs, paintings or other objects
for use or ornamentation, placed in buildings or
on lands by the owner of the immovable in such a
manner that it reveals the intention to attach them
permanently to the tenements;
(5) Machinery, receptacles, instruments or
implements intended by the owner of the tenement
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Notes:

BAR EXAM NOTES: PROPERTY

Notes:

for an industry or works which may be carried on

in a building or on a piece of land, and which tend
directly to meet the needs of the said industry or
works;
(6) Animal houses, pigeon-houses, beehives,
fish ponds or breeding places of similar nature,
in case their owner has placed them or preserves
them with the intention to have them permanently
attached to the land, and forming a permanent part
of it; the animals in these places are included;
(7) Fertilizer actually used on a piece of land;
(8) Mines, quarries, and slag dumps, while
the matter thereof forms part of the bed, and waters
either running or stagnant;
(9) Docks and structures which, though
floating, are intended by their nature and object to
remain at a fixed place on a river, lake, or coast;
(10) Contracts for public works, and servitudes and other real rights over immovable property. (334a)
Note:
1.

Classification of real property (NIDA): (a) Nature;

(b) Incorporation; (c) Destination; or (d) Analogy.

BAR
1.

Manila Petroleum Co. owned and operated a

petroleum operation facility off the coast of
Manila. The facility was located on a floating
platform made of wood and metal, upon which
was permanently attached the heavy equipment
for the petroleum operations and living quarters
of the crew. The floating platform likewise
contained a garden area, where trees, plants and
flowers were planted. The platform was tethered
to a ship, the MV 101, which was anchored to the
seabed. (a) Is the platform movable or immovable
property? (b) Are the equipment and living
quarters movable or immovable property? (c)
Are the trees, plants and flowers immovable or
movable property? (2007)

2.

X constructed a house on a lot which he was

leasing from Y. X executed a chattel mortgage
over the house in favor of Z as security for a
loan. X later acquired ownership of the land
where the house was constructed, after which he
mortgaged both house and lot in favor of a bank
which mortgage was annotated. Z demands that
the bank reconvey to him the house or pay Xs
loan plus interest. Is Zs demand valid? (2003)

THE CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Classification of Property
3.

PE is the registered owner of a parcel of land

which was mortgaged to PNB. Upon failure to
pay, PNB foreclosed the mortgage, and the land
was sold at public auction where PNB was the
highest bidder. Title was transferred to PNB in
1987. In the meanwhile, PE, still in possession
of the land, constructed a warehouse thereon. In
1988, PNB sold the land to PA. In 1989, the deed
of sale was amended to include the warehouse.
PE sought to annul the amended Deed of Sale.
Question arose as to whether the warehouse was
a real or personal property. Decide. (1997)

4.

V constructed a building on a parcel of land he

leased from A. He chattel mortgaged the land to F.
When he could not pay F, the latter initiated foreclosure proceedings. V claimed that the building
he had constructed on the leased land cannot be
validly foreclosed because the building was an
immovable. Is V correct? (1994)

Chapter 2
MOVABLE PROPERTY
Art. 416. The following things are deemed to
be personal property:
(1) Those movables susceptible of appropriation which are not included in the preceding
article;
(2) Real property which by any special
provision of law is considered as personal property;
(3) Forces of nature which are brought under
control by science; and
(4) In general, all things which can be
transported from place to place without impairment
of the real property to which they are fixed. (335a)
BAR
1.

S built on his lot a warehouse where he processes and stores his timber for shipment. Adjoining
the warehouse is a furniture factory owned by
NM where S is a major stockholder. NM leased a
space in the warehouse where it placed its furniture making machinery. How would you classify
the machinery? (1995)

Art. 417. The following are also considered as

personal property:
(1) Obligations and actions which have for
their object movables or demandable sums; and

Notes:

CONTENTS
CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Republic Act No. 386
BOOK II
PROPERTY, OWNERSHIP, AND ITS MODIFICATIONS
TITLE I CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTY
Preliminary Provisions ..........................................................................................................

Chapter 1 Immovable Property ..........................................................................................

Chapter 2 Movable Property ..............................................................................................
Chapter 3 Property in Relation to the Person to Whom it Belongs ...................................

1
3
4

Provisions Common to the Three Preceding Chapters .........................................................

TITLE II OWNERSHIP
Chapter 1 Ownership in General ........................................................................................
Chapter 2 Right of Accession ............................................................................................
General Provisions ................................................................................................................

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Section 1. Right of Accession with Respect to What is Produced by Property .........

Section 2. Right of Accession with Respect to Immovable Property..........................
Section 3. Right of Accession with Respect to Movable Property .............................

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10
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Chapter 3 Queting of Title .................................................................................................

Chapter 4 Ruinous Buildings and Trees in Danger of Falling ...........................................

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TITLE III CO-OWNERSHIP ...................................

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TITLE IV SOME SPECIAL PROPERTIES

Chapter 1 Waters ................................................................................................................
Chapter 2 Minerals .............................................................................................................
Chapter 3 Trademarks and Tradenames .............................................................................

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TITLE V POSSESSION
Chapter 1 Possession and the Kinds Thereof .....................................................................
Chapter 2 Acquisition of Possession ..................................................................................
Chapter 3 Effects of Possession .........................................................................................

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TITLE VI USUFRUCT
Chapter 1 Usufruct in General ...........................................................................................
Chapter 2 Rights of the Usufructuary ................................................................................
Chapter 3 Obligations of the Usufructuary ........................................................................
Chapter 4 Extinguishment of Usufruct ..............................................................................
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TITLE VII EASEMENTS OF SERVITUDES

Chapter 1 Easements in General ........................................................................................
Section 1. Different Kinds of Easements ...................................................................
Section 2. Modes of Acquiring Easements .................................................................
Section 3. Rights and Obligations of the Owners of the Dominant
and Servient Estates .........................................................................................
Section 4. Modes of Extinguishment of Easements ...................................................

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Chapter 2 Legal Easements ................................................................................................

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Section 1 General Provisions ..................................................................................

Section 2 Easements Relating to Waters .................................................................
Section 3 Easement of Right of Way .......................................................................
Section 4 Easement of Party Wall ...........................................................................
Section 5 Easement of Light and View ...................................................................
Section 6 Drainage of Buildings .............................................................................
Section 7 Intermediate Distances and Works for Certain Constructions
and Plantings ....................................................................................................
Section 8 Easement Against Nuisance ....................................................................
Section 9 Lateral and Subjacent Support ................................................................

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Chapter 3 Voluntary Easements .........................................................................................

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TITLE VIII NUISANCE ........................................

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TITLE IX REGISTRY OF PROPERTY ..........................

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BOOK III
DIFFERENT MODES OF ACQUIRING OWNERSHIP
PRELIMINARY PROVISION
TITLE I OCCUPATION .......................................

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TITLE II INTELLECTUAL CREATION ........................

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TITLE III DONATION

Chapter 1 Nature of Donations ..........................................................................................
Chapter 2 Persons Who May Give or Receive a Donation ................................................
Chapter 3 Effect of Donations and Limitations Thereon ...................................................
Chapter 4 Revocation and Reduction of Donations ...........................................................

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LAND TITLES AND DEEDS

Torrens System ......................................................................................................................
Land Registration ..................................................................................................................
Lis Pendens ..........................................................................................................................
Alienation of Homestead Patents ..........................................................................................
Review of Decree; Innocent Purchaser for Value .................................................................
Prescription and Laches ........................................................................................................
Entry Book ..........................................................................................................................
Consultas ...............................................................................................................................
Liens .....................................................................................................................................
Republic Act No. 4726 ..........................................................................................................

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