EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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S E N A T E
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■19 JUL 15 TO :02
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
AMENDING ARTICLE 2206 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 386, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
For death caused by a crime or quasi-delict, Article 2206 of Republic Act No. 
386, otherwise known as the Civil Code of the Philippines, enumerates the damages 
that may be recovered from the accused, one of which is the civil indemnity for 
death or death indemnity. Article 2206 has fixed the death indemnity to "a t least 
three thousand pesos, even though there may have been mitigating circumstances."
In fixing the death indemnity, the Civil Code of the Philippines actually only 
set the minimum civil indemnity that may be given thereby enabling the courts to 
increase the amount whenever the circumstances would warrant.
But as early as the 1990s, in the cases of People v. Sazon (G.R. No. 89684), 
People V. Teehankee (G.R. Nos. 111206-08), and People v. Espanoia (271 SCRA 
689), the Supreme Court has increased civil indemnity for death from the minimum 
Three 
Thousand 
Pesos 
to 
as 
high 
as 
One 
Hundred 
Thousand 
Pesos 
(PhP100,000.00). 
The increases made during all these years considered the
economic conditions prevailing in the country, primarily the purchasing power of the 
peso. 
And in People v. Oandasan (G.R. No. 194605, June 15, 2016), the Court 
justified the raising of civil indemnity arising from crime or quasi-delict in this wise -


"although money has been accepted as the most frequently used means o f 
punishing, deterring, compensating and regulating injury throughout the legal 
system, it has been explained that money in the context o f damages is not 
awarded as a replacement for other money, but as substitute for that which is 
generally more important than money; it is the best thing that a court can do. 
Regardless, the civil indemnity for death, being compensatory in nature, must 
be attune to contemporaneous economic realities; otherwise, the desire to 
justly indemnify would be thwarted or rendered meaningless."
This Bill, therefore, seeks to set the minimum amount of death indemnity to 
at least Fifty Thousand Pesos (PhP 50,000.00) so as to at least equitably 
recompense the loss at this present time.
Given the foregoing, immediate passage of this measure is sought.
Ori^ONG
R A M O ^O N G  REVILLA, JR.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
t _ ■. 
I 
:
■ , 1 
o( l!; r' I
S E N A T E
*19 JUL 15 A10:02
S. No.
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, 3R.
AN ACT
AMENDING ARTICLE 2206 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 386, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Article 2206 of Republic Act No. 386, otherwise known as the Civil 
Code of the Philippines, is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Art. 2206. The amount of damages for death caused by a crime or quasi­
delict shall be at least FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (PhP 50,000.00) [Three 
Thousand 
Pesos], 
even 
though 
there 
may 
have 
been 
mitigating 
circumstances. In addition:
(1 ) The defendant shall be liable for the loss of the earning capacity of the 
deceased, and the indemnity shall be paid to the heirs of the later, 
such indemnity shall in every case be assessed and awarded by the 
court, unless the deceased on account of permanent physical disability 
not caused by the defendant, had no earning capacity at the time of 
his death;
(2) If the deceased was obliged to give support according to the provisions 
of Article 291, the recipient who is not an heir called to the decedent's


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inheritance by the law of testate or intestate succession, may demand 
support from the person causing the death, for a period not exceeding 
five years, the exact duration to be fixed by the court;
(3) The spouse, legitimate and illegitimate descendants and ascendants of 
the deceased may demand moral damages for mental anguish by 
reason of the death of the deceased.
Sec. 2. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, presidential decrees or issuances, 
executive orders, letters of instruction, administrative orders or rules and regulations 
contrary to or inconsistent with this Act shall be deemed repealed, amended or 
modified accordingly.
Sec. 3. Effectivity Clause. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,