Ang obligasyon ay civil o natural.

Obligasyong sibil ay nagbibigay ng hakbang para iutos ang

pagsasagawa. Obligasyong natural, ay hindi ayon sa positibong batas ngunit sa equity at
natural law, hindi nagbibigay ng karapatan sa isang hakbang para ipatupad ang pagsasagawa,
ngunit pagkatapos ng boluntaryong pagsasakatuparan ng may utang , pinapayagan nila ang
pagpapanatili ng kung ano mang naibigay o naisagawa para sa kadahilanan nito. May ilang
natural obligation ay tinatalaga sa mga susunod na artikulo.

CIVIL OBLIGATIONS AND NATURAL OBLIGATIONS DISTINGUISHED

Article 1423 gives the distinctions between civil obligations and natural obligations,
viz.:

(1) Civil obligations arise from law, contracts, quasi-contracts, delicts, and quasi-

delicts (Art. 1157.), while natural obligations are based not on positive law but on
equity and natural law; and

(2) Civil obligations give a right of action in courts of justice to compel their fulfi

llment or performance (Art. 1156.), while natural obligations do not grant such right
of action to enforce their performance.

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.

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.
Kapag ang karapatan na maghain ng reklamo sa isang obligasyonng sibil ay
natapos na sa papamagitan ng extinctive prescription, ang may pananagutan na
kusang isinagawa ang kontrata ay hindi na maaring bawiin ang naibigay o halaga
ng serbisyong ginawa.

Article 1424 provides that if an obligee fails to pursue a cause of action based on a
civil obligation within the period fixed by law, the obligation is extinguished. It
cannot be anymore be enforced in court. It becomes a stale claim.

While the prescribed cannot be asserted anymore in a court, nevertheless under the
rule on performance of natural obligations it is indirectly ressurected when the obligor
voluntarily pays the stale claim. The payment is valid payment because of the obligors
recognition of his debt. He cannot recover what he paid or the value of the service he
had rendered in cases of obligation to do.

Illustration:

Morning owes Evening the sum of 5,000 pesos under a written contract. After ten
years the debt of morning prescribes for failure of evening to file the necessary action
for the recovery of the same. If morning knowing the prescription voluntarily pays
evening, he cannot recover anymore what he has paid.