Below is a detailed week-by-week breakdown of each topic for a semester-long class in Obligations and
Contracts, including key Civil Code provisions and discussion points for each week. This guide is
designed for use in legal instruction in the Philippines, aligning with the Civil Code and major
jurisprudence.
📘 SEMESTER OUTLINE WITH PROVISION SUMMARIES
Based on Book IV, Civil Code of the Philippines
Coverage: Articles 1156 to 1422 (Obligations and Contracts)
Format: 3-hour class per week | 17 weeks including exams
🔹 WEEK 1: Introduction to Obligations
Articles Covered: 1156–1157
Key Points:
Art. 1156: Obligation defined – A juridical necessity to give, to do, or not to do.
o Discuss: “Juridical necessity” – obligation is enforceable in court.
Art. 1157: Sources of obligations: Law, Contracts, Quasi-contracts, Crimes, Quasi-delicts.
o Point out distinctions and examples of each source.
🔹 WEEK 2: Nature and Effect of Obligations
Articles Covered: 1163–1178
Key Points:
Art. 1163: Obligation to give – diligence required (as a good father of a family).
Art. 1164–1165: Rights to fruits; real vs. personal obligations.
Art. 1166–1169: Delay (mora); ordinary delay vs. legal delay.
Art. 1170–1174: Breach: fraud (dolo), negligence (culpa), fortuitous event.
Art. 1175–1178: Waiver of liability for future fraud is void; rights are transmissible unless
otherwise provided.
🔹 WEEK 3: Pure and Conditional Obligations
Articles Covered: 1179–1192
Key Points:
Art. 1179: Pure obligations demandable at once.
Art. 1180–1182: Suspensive vs. resolutory conditions.
Art. 1183–1185: Impossible and potestative conditions – void.
Art. 1186–1189: Effects of conditions; retroactive effect; risk of loss.
Art. 1190–1192: Return to status quo after condition fails.
🔹 WEEK 4: Periods, Joint and Solidary Obligations
Articles Covered: 1193–1222
Key Points:
Art. 1193–1198: Suspensive vs. resolutory period; benefit for whom?
Art. 1199–1206: Alternative and facultative obligations preview.
Art. 1207–1222: Joint vs. solidary obligations:
o Joint: separate debts; Solidary: one pays for all.
o Legal vs. conventional solidarity.
🔹 WEEK 5: Alternative and Facultative Obligations
Articles Covered: 1199–1206
Key Points:
Art. 1199–1201: Choice belongs to debtor unless stipulated.
Art. 1202: Notice required for choice to be effective.
Art. 1204–1206: Facultative: only one prestation due, but another may be substituted.
🔹 WEEK 6: Divisible and Indivisible Obligations
Articles Covered: 1223–1225
Key Points:
Art. 1223: Divisibility depends on the nature of prestation.
Art. 1224: Liability in indivisible obligations – partial breach may result in indemnity.
Art. 1225: Legal examples of indivisible obligations.
🔹 WEEK 7: Obligations with a Penal Clause
Articles Covered: 1226–1230
Key Points:
Art. 1226: Penalty clause substitutes for damages and interest.
Art. 1227–1229: Penalty may be reduced by court if excessive.
Art. 1230: Nullity of principal obligation nullifies penalty clause.
🔹 WEEK 8: Payment and Performance
Articles Covered: 1231–1251
Key Points:
Art. 1231: Modes of extinguishment: payment, loss, condonation, confusion, compensation,
novation.
Art. 1232–1241: Requisites of payment: who can pay, to whom, how.
Art. 1244–1251: Dation in payment (dacion en pago), application of payments.
🔹 WEEK 9: Other Modes of Extinguishment
Articles Covered: 1252–1304
Key Points:
Art. 1252–1255: Application of payments, tender of payment, consignation.
Art. 1262–1269: Loss of the thing due – with or without fault.
Art. 1270–1274: Condonation or remission of debt.
Art. 1275–1277: Confusion or merger of rights.
Art. 1278–1290: Legal and conventional compensation.
Art. 1291–1304: Novation – objective, subjective, or mixed.
🔹 WEEK 10: MIDTERM EXAM
Coverage: Articles 1156–1304
Format: MCQs, case analysis, short essays
🔹 WEEK 11: Contracts – General Provisions
Articles Covered: 1305–1317
Key Points:
Art. 1305: Definition of contract – meeting of minds.
Art. 1306: Principle of autonomy of contracts.
Art. 1307–1317: Classifications: nominate/innominate, real/consensual.
🔹 WEEK 12: Essential Requisites of Contracts – Consent
Articles Covered: 1318–1332
Key Points:
Art. 1318: Requisites: consent, object, cause.
Art. 1319–1326: Offer and acceptance; capacity to contract.
Art. 1327–1332: Vices of consent: mistake, violence, intimidation, undue influence, fraud.
🔹 WEEK 13: Object and Cause of Contracts
Articles Covered: 1347–1355
Key Points:
Art. 1347–1349: Object must be lawful, possible, determinate.
Art. 1350–1355: Cause must be lawful, real.
Art. 1352–1353: Illegality renders contract void.
🔹 WEEK 14: Form and Rescissible Contracts
Articles Covered: 1356–1358, 1380–1389
Key Points:
Art. 1356–1358: Form is required only for validity or enforceability in specific cases.
Art. 1380–1389: Rescissible contracts – due to lesion or fraud on creditors.
Examples: guardianship, contracts in fraud of creditors.
🔹 WEEK 15: Voidable, Unenforceable, Inexistent Contracts
Articles Covered: 1390–1422
Key Points:
Art. 1390–1402: Voidable – valid until annulled (e.g., due to vitiated consent).
Art. 1403–1408: Unenforceable contracts – lack of authority or form.
Art. 1409–1422: Void contracts – no effect from beginning.
🔹 WEEK 16: Reformation and Interpretation of Contracts
Articles Covered: 1359–1369 (Reformation), 1370–1379 (Interpretation)
Key Points:
Art. 1359: Reformation – contract fails to express true intent.
Art. 1361–1369: Grounds and rules for reformation.
Art. 1370–1379: Interpretation – intent over form; doubtful terms interpreted against drafter.
🔹 WEEK 17: FINAL EXAM
Coverage: Articles 1305–1422
Format: Bar-type essay, case problems, multiple-choice
Would you like this organized into:
A downloadable PDF syllabus or lecture handout?
Weekly PowerPoint slides?
Accompanying bar review questions or quizzes?
Let me know how I can assist further in delivering this for your class.
