Marriage

The spouse may, in the marriage settlements, agree upon the regime of absolute

community, conjugal partnership of gains, complete separation of property, or any other

regime. In the absence of a marriage settlement, or when the regime agreed upon is void,

the property relations of the spouses shall be governed by the following regime or system:

1. Conjugal Partnership of Gains, if married before August 3,1988.

2. Absolute Community of Property, if married on or after August 3,1988 ( Art. 75, Family

Code)

Note: the Family Code took effect on August 4, 1988.

Absolute Community

Common Properties

1. ALL properties owned by the spouses at the time of the marriage, and

2. ALL properties acquired thereafter.

Exclusive Properties

1. Property acquired during the marriage by gratuitous title by either spouse, and the

fruits as well as income thereof, if any, unless it is expressly provided by the donor,

testator or grantor that they shalol form part of the community property;
2. Property for personal and exclusive use of either spouse. However jewelry shall

form part of the community property; and

3. Property acquired before the marriage by either spouse who has legitimate

descendants by a former marriage, and the fruits as well as the income, if any, of

such property.

Conjugal Partnership of Gains

Exclusive Properties

That which is brought to the marriage as his/her own;

That which each acquires during the marriage by gratuitous title;

That which is acquired by right or redemption, by barter or by exchange with

property belonging to only one of the spouses; and

That which is purchased with the exclusive money of the wife or of the husband.

Conjugal Properties

1. Those acquired by onerous title during the marriage at the expense of the

common fund, whether the acquisition be for the partnership, or for only one of the
spouses;

2. Those obtained from labor, industry, work, or profession of either both the spouses;

3. The fruits, natural, industrial, or civil, due or received during the marriage from the

common property,as well as the net fruits from the exclusive property of each

spouse;

4. The share of either spouse in the hidden treasure which the law awards to the

finder or owner of the property where the treasure is found;

5. Thise acquired through occupation such as fishing and hunting;

6. Livestock existing upon the dissolution of the partnership in the excess of the

number of each kind brought to the marriage by either spouse and;

7. Those which are acquired by chance, such as winnings from gambling or betting.

However, losses therefrom shall be borne exclusively by the loser-spouse