NATURAL OBLIGATIONS (b) knowing it has prescribed, I cannot
recover for this would be a case of a natural
 In all the specific cases of natural
obligations recognized by the Civil Code,
there is a moral duty, but not a legal
duty to perform or to pay, but the
person thus performing or paying feels
that in good conscience, he should
comply with his undertaking which is
based on moral grounds.
 Why should the law permit him to
change his mind, and recover what he
has delivered or paid? Is it not wiser and
more just that the law should compel
him to abide by his honor and
conscience? Equity, morality, natural
justice — those are after all the abiding
foundations of positive law. A broad
policy justifies as a legal principle that
would encourage persons to fulfill their
obligations.
ARTICLE 1423
‘Voluntary Fulfillment’
 “Voluntary fulfillment” means that the
debtor complied with the same even if
he knew that he could not have been
legally forced to do so. Thus, payment
through a coercive process of the writ of
execution issued at the instance and
insistence of the prevailing party, is NOT
considered voluntary, and the provisions
of the law on natural obligations cannot
be applied thereto.
 In case of partial voluntary fulfillment,
the balance cannot be recovered, since
on said balance, there has not yet been
created a legal obligation.
Undue Payment Distinguished from Natural
Obligation If I pay a debt that has prescribed
— (See Arts. 1956, 1960, Civil Code).
(a) not knowing it has prescribed, I can
recover on the ground of undue payment.
obligation.
[NOTE: Payment thru a coercive process of
the writ of execution issued at the instance
and insistence of the prevailing party, is NOT
considered voluntary and the provisions of
the law on natural obligations, cannot be
applied thereto.
No Juridical Tie in Moral Obligations
 While there is a juridical tie in natural
obligations, there is none in moral
obligations.
 Thus, giving a legal assistance to one’s
employee (who has been accused of a
crime) is merely a moral obligation, and
the employee cannot recover attorney’s
fee from the employer.
 Similarly, a Christmas bonus, not yet
given to employees, is not generally a
demandable and enforceable obligation;
nor may it be considered a natural
obligation for there has been no
voluntary performance as yet. The
Courts cannot order therefore the grant
of the bonus unless:
(a) it had been made a part of the wage
or salary;
(b) or may be granted on equitable
considerations, as when it used to be
given in the past, although withheld in
succeeding years.
Example of Other Natural Obligations
Art. 1423 says: “Some natural obligations are
set forth in the following articles.” Hence,
there may be other natural obligations.
Examples:
(a) obligation to pay interest for use of
money, even if not agreed upon in writing.
(b) duty to support natural or spurious
children (even if not recognized voluntarily or
by judicial compulsion and even if there is a
judgment denying recognition).
(c) giving of material and financial assistance
to children upon their marriage.
Conversion of Moral Obligations to Civil
Obligations
Moral obligations may be converted into civil
obligations.
Example: Acknowledgment of a prescribed
debt.
ARTICLE 1424
Effect of Extinctive Prescription
By virtue of extinctive prescription, a right or
property has been lost. Hence, the existence
of the Article.
Example of the Article’s Application
A’s debt to C has been extinguished by
prescription. Yet A, knowing of the
prescription, voluntarily paid the prescribed
debt. A cannot now recover what he has paid
C. Prescribed debt may indeed give rise to
new obligation.
ARTICLE 1425
Payment by a Third Person
Here the third person pays:
(a) without the knowledge (of the debtor);
(b) or against the will (of the debtor).
Example
A owes B P700,000. But the debt soon
prescribes. Later C, against the consent of A,
pays B the P700,000. A here does not have to
reimburse C because he (A) has not at all
been benefited by the transaction. However,
A later voluntarily reimburses C. May A now
recover what he has given to C?
ANS.: No more. This is the express provision
of the law.
Payment With Debtor’s Consent
If payment is made with the consent of the
debtor, a civil obligation arises.
ARTICLE 1426
Contracts by Minors Between 18 and 21 —
When There Has Been Annulment
(a) This applies to minors between 18 and 21
when the contract was without parental
consent. (Here the minor is considered
mature enough.)
(b) Here after annulment, there was a
VOLUNTARY return.
Example
A, a minor, entered into a contract with a sui
juris, without the consent of his (A’s) parents.
In said contract, A received a car. This car
was afterwards destroyed by a fortuitous
event. Later when the contract was annulled,
A returned voluntarily the value of the car
although he had not profited or benefited a
single centavo from the car. Has he now the
right to demand that the price be returned?
No more.
Majority Age
The age of majority today is 18.
ARTICLE 1427
Contracts by Minors — No Annulment Yet
(a) Generally, annulment requires mutual
restitution. Here the obligee who has spent
or consumed the object in good faith is not
required to restore.
(b) Good faith of the obligee must be present
at the time of spending or consuming.
(c) Note that the majority age today is 18.
And “fungible” here really means
“consumable.’’
Query
Suppose the object is non-consumable, does
the Article apply?
ANS.: Yes, if there has been loss by fortuitous
event or alienation in good faith (this is
equivalent to spending or consuming it), if
the proceeds thereof have already been
spent in good faith.
ARTICLE 1428
Winner in an Action to Enforce a Civil
Obligation
Here the defendant may have realized that
he should have lost the case, instead of
winning it, thus the existence of the Article.
Example
A owes B P500,000. B brings a suit against A,
but B loses the case for insufficient evidence.
No appeal is made from the decision, and the
judgment becomes final. Later, A paid B
voluntarily the debt. May A now recover
from B what he (A) has paid? No.
now back out.
ARTICLE 1430
Payment of Legacies Despite the Fact That
the Will Is Void
If the will is void, the legacy would also be
void and the deceased is considered to have
died without a will. This is the reason for the
existence of the Article.
Example
In a will defective for lack of the needed legal
formalities, X, a friend, was given a legacy.
The legacy is void, and the whole estate
should go to the intestate heirs. If however,
the intestate heirs give X the legacy, they
cannot get it back now, provided that the
debts of the deceased have been settled.
Analogous Cases
By analogy, all alienations defective for lack
of the proper formalities may be included
under Art. 1430.

ARTICLE 1429
Rule in Case of Payment of Debts Beyond
Value of the Decedent’s Estate
Heirs inherit obligations only to the extent of
the value of the inheritance. This is the
reason for the Article, coupled with the basis
for the natural obligation.

Example
A dies, leaving an estate of P10,000,000 and
debts amounting to P15,000,000. His heir
here is not expected to make up for the
difference, BUT if he does so voluntarily, then
he cannot recover said difference. After all,
one does have a moral duty to see to it that
the dead relative’s or friend’s obligations in
life are all carried out. Here, the heir is not
really required by law to shoulder the deficit,
but since he does so voluntarily, he cannot