Section 4:

Charges Upon and Obligations of the Conjugal Partnership

(The Family Code of the Philippines)

Article 121

The conjugal partnership shall be liable for:

  1. The support of the spouse, their common children, and the legitimate children of either spouse; however, the support of illegitimate children shall be governed by the provisions of this Code on Support;
  2. All debts and obligations contracted during the marriage by the designated administrator-spouse for the benefit of the conjugal partnership of gains, or by both spouses or by one of them with the consent of the other;
  3. Debts and obligations contracted by either spouse without the consent of the other to the extent that the family may have benefited;
  4. All taxes, liens, charges, and expenses, including major or minor repairs upon the conjugal partnership property;
  5. All taxes and expenses for mere preservation made during the marriage upon the separate property of either spouse;
  6. Expenses to enable either spouse to commence or complete a professional, vocational, or other activity for self-improvement;
  7. Ante-nuptial debts of either spouse insofar as they have redounded to the benefit of the family;
  8. The value of what is donated or promised by both spouses in favor of their common legitimate children for the exclusive purpose of commencing or completing a professional or vocational course or other activity for self-improvement; and
  9. Expenses of litigation between the spouses unless the suit is found to groundless.

If the conjugal partnership is insufficient to cover the foregoing liabilities, the spouses shall be solidarily liable for the unpaid balance with their separate properties.  (161a)

Article 122

The payment of personal debts contracted by the husband or the wife before or during the marriage shall not be charged to the conjugal properties partnership except insofar as they redounded to the benefit of the family.

Neither shall the fines and pecuniary indemnities imposed upon them be charged to the partnership.

However, the payment of personal debts contracted by either spouse before the marriage, that of fines and indemnities imposed upon them, as well as the support of illegitimate children of either spouse, may be enforced against the partnership assets after the responsibilities enumerated in the preceding Article have been covered, if the spouse who is bound should have no exclusive property or if it should be insufficient; but at the time of the liquidation of the partnership, such spouse shall be charged for what has been paid for the purpose above-mentioned.  (163a)

Article 123

Whatever may be lost during the marriage in any game of chance or in betting, sweepstakes, or any other kind of gambling whether permitted or prohibited by law, shall be borne by the loser and shall not be charged to the conjugal partnership but any winnings therefrom shall form part of the conjugal partnership property.  (164a)

Learn this Filipino word:

kaín-kainín