Expanded Jurisdiction of First and Second Level Courts

(R.A. No. 11576, 30 July 2021

Further Amending B.P. Blg. 129)

R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks

A. RTC Exclusive Jurisdiction in Civil Cases
(Section 19 of BP Blg. 129)
(2) In all civil actions (2) In all civil actions For par (2), Section 19, B.P.
which involve the title to, which involve the title to, Blg. 129, as amended, the
or possession of, real or possession of, real threshold amount was
property, or any interest property, or any interest adjusted to P400,000.00
therein, where the therein, where the (from P20,000.00 and
assessed value of the assessed value of the P50,000.00). The distinction
property involved property involved between within and outside
exceeds Twenty exceeds Four hundred Metro Manila was deleted.
thousand pesos thousand pesos
(P20,000,00) or, for civil (P40,000,00), except
 R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks
actions in Metro Manila, actions for forcible entry
where such value into and unlawful
exceeds Fifty thousand detainer of lands or
pesos (P50,000.00) except buildings, original
actions for forcible entry jurisdiction over which is
into and unlawful conferred upon the
detainer of lands or Metropolitan Trial
buildings, original Courts, and Municipal
jurisdiction over which is Trial Courts in Cities,
conferred upon the Municipal Trial Courts,
Metropolitan Trial and Municipal Circuit
Courts, Municipal Trial Trial Courts;
Courts, and Municipal
Circuit Trial Courts;

(3) In all actions in (3) In all actions in For par. (3), Section 19, B.P.
admiralty and maritime admiralty and maritime Blg. 129, as amended, the

2
 R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks
jurisdiction where the jurisdiction where the threshold amount was
demand or claim exceeds demand or claim exceeds adjusted to P2,000,000.00
Three hundred thousand Two million pesos from P300,000.00 and
pesos (P300,000.00) or, in (P2,000,000.00); P400,000.00). The distinction
Metro Manila, where between within and outside
such demand or claim Metro Manila was deleted.
exceeds Four hundred
thousand pesos
(P400,000.00);

(4) In all matters of (4) In all matters of For par. (4), Section 19, B.P.
probate, both testate and probate, both testate and Blg. 129, as amended, the
intestate, where the gross intestate, where the gross threshold amount was
value of the estate value of the estate adjusted to P2,000,000.00
exceeds Three hundred exceeds Two million from P300,000.00 and
thousand pesos pesos (P2,000,000.00); P400,000.00). The distinction
(P300,000.00) or, in

3
 R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks
probate matters in Metro between within and outside
Manila, where such gross Metro Manila was deleted.
value exceeds Four
Hundred thousand pesos
(P400,000.00);

xxx xxx xxx xxx

(8) In all other cases in (8) In all other cases in For par. (8), Section 19, B.P.
which the demand, which the demand, Blg. 129, as amended, the
exclusive of interest, exclusive of interest, threshold amount was
damages of whatever damages of whatever adjusted to P2,000,000.00
kind, attorney's fees, kind, attorney's fees, from P300,000.00 and
litigation expenses, and litigation expenses, and P400,000.00). The distinction
costs or the value of the costs or the value of the between within and outside
property in controversy property in controversy Metro Manila was deleted.
exceeds Three hundred

4
 R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks
thousand pesos exceeds Two million
(P300,000.00) or, in such pesos (P2,000,000.00);
other cases in Metro
Manila, where the
demand exclusive of the
abovementioned items
exceeds Four Hundred
thousand pesos
(P400,000.00).

B. MTC Exclusive Jurisdiction in Civil Cases

(Section 33 of BP 129)
(1) Exclusive original (1) Exclusive original For par. (1), Section 33, B.P.
jurisdiction over civil jurisdiction over civil Blg. 129, as amended, the
actions and probate actions and probate threshold amount was
proceedings, testate and proceedings, testate and adjusted to P2,000,000.00
intestate, including the intestate, including the (from P300,000.00 and

5
 R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks
grant of provisional grant of provisional P400,000.00). The distinction
remedies in proper cases, remedies in proper cases, between within and outside
where the value of the where the value of the Metro Manila was deleted.
personal property, estate, personal property, estate,
or amount of the demand or amount of the demand
does not exceed Three does not exceed Two
hundred thousand pesos million pesos
(P300,000.00) or, in Metro (P2,000,000.00), exclusive
Manila where such of interest, damages of
personal property, estate, whatever kind, attorney's
or amount of the demand fees, litigation expenses,
does not exceed Four and costs, the amount of
hundred thousand pesos which must be
(P400,000.00), exclusive specifically alleged:
of interest, damages of Provided, That interest,
whatever kind, attorney's damages of whatever
fees, litigation expenses, kind, attorney's fees,

6
 R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks
and costs, the amount of litigation expenses, and
which must be costs shall be included in
specifically alleged: the determination of the
Provided, That interest, filing fees: Provided,
damages of whatever further, That where there
kind, attorney's fees, are several claims or
litigation expenses, and causes of actions between
costs shall be included in the same or different
the determination of the parties, embodied in the
filing fees: Provided, same complaint, the
further, That where there amount of the demand
are several claims or shall be the totality of the
causes of actions between claims in all the causes of
the same or different action, irrespective of
parties, embodied in the whether the causes of
same complaint, the action arose out of the
amount of the demand

7
 R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks
shall be the totality of the same or different
claims in all the causes of transactions;
action, irrespective of
whether the causes of
action arose out of the
same or different
transactions;

xxx xxx xxx xxx

(3) Exclusive original
jurisdiction in all civil
actions which involve
title to, or possession of,
real property, or any
interest therein where the
assessed value of the
(3) Exclusive original
jurisdiction in all civil
actions which involve
title to, or possession of,
real property, or any
interest therein where the
assessed value of the
For par (3), Section 33, B.P.
Blg. 129, as amended, the
threshold amount was
adjusted to P400,000.00
(from P20,000.00 and
P50,000.00). The distinction

8
 R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks
property or interest property or interest between within and outside
therein does not exceed therein does not exceed Metro Manila was deleted.
Twenty thousand pesos Four hundred thousand
(P20,000.00) or, in civil pesos (P400,000.00)
actions in Metro Manila, exclusive of interest,
where such assessed damages of whatever
value does not exceed kind, attorney's fees,
Fifty thousand pesos litigation expenses and
(P50,000.00) exclusive of costs: Provided, That
interest, damages of value of such property
whatever kind, attorney's shall be determined by
fees, litigation expenses the assessed value of the
and costs: Provided, That adjacent lots;
value of such property
shall be determined by
the assessed value of the
adjacent lots.

9
 R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks

(4) Exclusive original This new subsection was

jurisdiction in admiralty added in view of the
and maritime actions amendment of the threshold
where the demand or amount under Section 19(3)
claim does not exceed of B.P. Blg. 129 (as amended
Two million pesos by R.A. No. 7691)
(P2,000,000.00).
C. Delegated Authority of the Supreme Court to
Adjust Jurisdictional Amounts for First and Second
Level Courts (Section 3, R.A. No. 11576)
The Supreme Court, This is a new provision.
unless otherwise
provided by law, without NOTE: The provisions of
prejudice, however, on R.A. No. 11576 shall apply
the part of Congress to prospectively to all civil
adjust the amounts when cases filed in the second

10
R.A. No. 7691 R.A. No. 11576 Remarks
the circumstances so level courts and first level
warrant, may adjust the courts from the date of this
jurisdictional amount for
the first and second level R.A. No. 11576).
courts to: (1) reflect the
extraordinary
supervening inflation or
deflation of currency; (2)
reflect change in the land
valuation; or (3) maintain
the proportion of case
load between first and
second level courts.
(Section 3, R.A. No.
11576)

11