JURISDICTION OF COURTS of actions between the same or different
parties, embodied in the same complaint,
IN CIVIL CASES
A) Jurisdiction of the MTC,
MeTC, MCTC and MTCC under B.
P. Blg. 129 as amended by R. A. No.
7691 and R. A. No. 11576.
R. A. No. 11576 was signed by
the President on July 30, 2021 and
would have taken effect 15 days after
its publication. The amendments
introduced by R. A. No. 11576 are
underlined.
Section 33. Jurisdiction of
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal
Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts in Civil Cases. – Metropolitan
Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts,
and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall
exercise:
(1) Exclusive original
jurisdiction over civil actions and
probate proceedings, testate and
intestate, including the grant of
provisional remedies in proper cases,
where the value of the personal property,
estate, or amount of the demand does not
exceed Two million pesos
(P2,000,000.00), exclusive of interest,
damages of whatever kind, attorney's
fees, litigation expenses, and costs, the
amount of which must be specifically
alleged: Provided, That interest,
damages of whatever kind, attorney's
fees, litigation expenses, and costs shall
be included in the determination of the
filing fees: Provided, further, That
where there are several claims or causes
the amount of the demand shall be the
totality of the claims in all the causes of
action, irrespective of whether the causes
of action arose out of the same or
different transactions;
(2) Exclusive original
jurisdiction over cases of forcible entry
and unlawful detainer: Provided, That
when, in such cases, the defendant raises
the questions of ownership in his
pleadings and the question of possession
cannot be resolved without deciding the
issue of ownership, the issue of
ownership shall be resolved only to
determine the issue of possession; and
(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 property or
interest therein does not exceed Four
hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00),
exclusive of interest, damages of
whatever kind, attorney's fees, litigation
expenses and costs: Provided, That in
cases of land not declared for taxation
purposes, the value of such property
shall be determined by the assessed
value of the adjacent lots."
(4) Exclusive original
jurisdiction in admiralty and maritime
actions where the demand or claim does
not exceed Two million pesos
(P2,000,000.00).
Section 34. Delegated
Jurisdiction in Cadastral and Land
Registration Cases. – Metropolitan Trial
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and
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Municipal Circuit Trial Courts may be
assigned by the Supreme Court to hear
and determine cadastral or land
registration cases covering lots where
there is no controversy or opposition, or
contested lots where the value of which
does not exceed One hundred thousand
pesos (P100,000.00), such value to be
ascertained by the affidavit of the
claimant or by agreement of the
respective claimants if there are more
than one, or from the corresponding tax
declaration of the real property. Their
decisions in these cases shall be
appealable in the same manner as
decisions of the Regional Trial Courts."
Section 35. Special jurisdiction
in certain cases. – In the absence of all
the Regional Trial Judges in a province
or city, any Metropolitan Trial Judge,
Municipal Trial Judge, Municipal
Circuit Trial Judge may hear and decide
petitions for a writ of habeas corpus or
applications for bail in criminal cases in
the province or city where the absent
Regional Trial Judges sit.
***
B) Jurisdiction of the Regional
Trial Courts under B. P. Blg. 129 as
amended by R. A. 7691.
Section 19. Jurisdiction of the
Regional Trial Courts in Civil Cases. –
Regional Trial Courts shall exercise
exclusive original jurisdiction:
(1) In all civil actions in which
the subject of the litigation is incapable
of pecuniary estimation;
(2) In all civil actions which
involve the title to, or possession of, real
property, or any interest therein, where
the assessed value exceeds Four hundred
thousand pesos (P400,000,00), except
for forcible entry into and unlawful
detainer of lands or buildings, original
jurisdiction of which is conferred upon
the Metropolitan Trial Courts, and
Municipal Trial Courts in Cities,
Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal
Circuit Trial Courts;
(3) In all actions in admiralty and
maritime jurisdiction where the demand
or claim exceeds Two million pesos
(P2,000,000.00);
(4) In all matters of probate, both
testate and intestate, where the gross
value of the estate exceeds Two million
pesos (P2,000,000.00);
(5) In all actions involving the
contract of marriage and marital
relations; (Repealed by Section 5(d) of
R. A. No.8369, The Family Courts Act
of 1997.)
(6) In all cases not within the
exclusive jurisdiction of any court,
tribunal, person or body exercising
judicial or quasi-judicial functions;
(7) In all civil actions and special
proceedings falling within the exclusive
original jurisdiction of a Juvenile and
Domestic Relations Court and of the
Court of Agrarian Relations as now
provided by law; and (Repealed by
Section 5 of R. A. No. 8369.
(8) In all other cases in which the
demand, exclusive of interest, damages
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of whatever kind, attorney's fees,
litigation expenses, and costs or the
value of the property in controversy
exceeds Two million pesos
(P2,000,000.00)."
Section 21. Original jurisdiction
in other cases. – Regional Trial Courts
shall exercise original jurisdiction:
(1) In the issuance of writs of
certiorari, prohibition,
mandamus, quo warranto, habeas
corpus and injunction which may
be enforced in any part of their
respective regions; and
(2) In actions affecting
ambassadors and other public
ministers and consuls.
Section 22. Appellate
jurisdiction. – Regional Trial Courts
shall exercise appellate jurisdiction over
all cases decided by Metropolitan Trial
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in their
respective territorial jurisdictions. Such
cases shall be decided on the basis of the
entire record of the proceedings had in
the court of origin and such memoranda
and/or briefs as may be submitted by the
parties or required by the Regional Trial
Courts. The decision of the Regional
Trial Courts in such cases shall be
appealable by petition for review to the
Court of Appeals which may give it due
course only when the petition shows
prima facie that the lower court has
committed an error of fact or law that
will warrant a reversal or modification of
the decision or judgment sought to be
reviewed.
Section 23. Special jurisdiction
to try special cases. – The Supreme
Court may designate certain branches of
the Regional Trial Courts to handle
exclusively criminal cases, juvenile and
domestic relations cases, agrarian cases,
urban land reform cases which do not
fall under the jurisdiction of quasi-
judicial bodies and agencies, and/or such
other special cases as the Supreme Court
may determine in the interest of a speedy
and efficient administration of justice.
Section 3 of R. A. No. 11575
introduces a new provision, to wit:
SEC. 3. Delegated Authority of
the Supreme Court to Adjust the
Jurisdictional Amounts for First and
Second Level Courts. – The Supreme
Court, unless otherwise provided by law,
without prejudice, however, on the part
of the Congress to adjust the amounts
when the circumstances so warrant, may
adjust the jurisdictional amount for first
and second level 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 caseload between first and
second level courts.
***
C) Jurisdiction of the Family
Courts under R. A. No. 8369,
otherwise known as The Family
Courts Act of 1997.
Section 5. Jurisdiction of
Family Courts. - The Family Courts
shall have exclusive original jurisdiction
to hear and decide the following cases:
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(a) x x x x; h) Petitions for the constitution
of the family home;
b) Petitions for guardianship, (Inapplicable)
custody of children, habeas
corpus in relation to the latter; i) x x x x;

c) Petitions for adoption of j) Violations of Republic Act No.

children and the revocation 7610, otherwise known as the
thereof; "Special Protection of Children
Against Child Abuse,
d) Complaints for annulment of Exploitation and Discrimination
marriage, declaration of nullity Act," as amended by Republic
of marriage and those relating to Act No. 7658; and
marital status and property
relations of husband and wife or k) Cases of domestic violence
those living together under against:
different status and agreements,
and petitions for dissolution of 1) Women - which are
conjugal partnership of gains; acts of gender based
violence that results, or
e) Petitions for support and/or are likely to result in
acknowledgment; physical, sexual or
psychological harm or
f) Summary judicial proceedings suffering to women; and
brought under the provisions of other forms of physical
Executive Order No. 209, abuse such as battering or
otherwise known as the "Family threats and coercion
Code of the Philippines"; which violate a woman's
personhood, integrity and
g) Petitions for declaration of freedom movement; and
status of children as abandoned,
dependent or neglected children, 2) Children - which
petitions for voluntary or include the commission
involuntary commitment of of all forms of abuse,
children; the suspension, neglect, cruelty,
termination, or restoration of exploitation, violence,
parental authority and other cases and discrimination and all
cognizable under Presidential other conditions
Decree No. 603, Executive Order prejudicial to their
No. 56, (Series of 1986), and development.
other related laws;
If an act constitutes a criminal
offense, the accused or batterer shall be

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subject to criminal proceedings and the
corresponding penalties.
If any question involving any of
the above matters should arise as an
incident in any case pending in the
regular courts, said incident shall be
determined in that court.
***
D) Jurisdiction of the Court of
Appeals under B. P. Blg. 129 as
amended by R. A. 7902.
Sec. 9. Jurisdiction. — The
Court of Appeals shall exercise:
(1) Original jurisdiction to issue
writs of mandamus, prohibition,
certiorari, habeas corpus, and quo
warranto, and auxiliary writs or
processes, whether or not in aid
of its appellate jurisdiction;
(2) Exclusive original
jurisdiction over actions for
annulment of judgment of
Regional Trial Courts; and
(3) Exclusive appellate
jurisdiction over all final
judgments, decisions,
resolutions, orders or awards of
Regional Trial Courts and quasi-
judicial agencies,
instrumentalities, boards or
commissions, including the
Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Social Security
Commission, the Employees
Compensation Commission and
the Civil Service Commission,
except those falling within the
appellate jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court in accordance
with the Constitution, the Labor
Code of the Philippines under
Presidential Decree No. 442, as
amended, the provisions of this
Act, and of subparagraph (1) of
the third paragraph and
subparagraph (4) of the fourth
paragraph of Section 17 of the
Judiciary Act of 1948.
The Court of Appeals shall have
the power to try cases and conduct
hearings, receive evidence and perform
any and all acts necessary to resolve
factual issues raised in cases falling
within its original and appellate
jurisdiction, including the power to grant
and conduct new trials or further
proceedings. Trials or hearings in the
Court of Appeals must be continuous
and must be completed within three (3)
months, unless extended by the Chief
Justice." (As amended by R. A, No.
7902)
***
E) Jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court under R. A. No. 296 (The
Judiciary Act of 1948) as amended by
R. A. No. 5440.
Sec. 17. Jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court. The Supreme Court
shall have original jurisdiction over
cases affecting ambassadors, other
public ministers, and consuls; and
original and exclusive jurisdiction in
petitions for the issuance of writs of
certiorari, prohibition and mandamus
against the Court of Appeals.
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 In the following cases, the
Supreme Court shall exercise original
and concurrent jurisdiction with
Regional Trial Courts :
1. In petition for the issuance of
writs of certiorari, prohibition,
mandamus, quo warranto, and
habeas corpus; and
2. In actions brought to prevent
and restrain violations of law
concerning monopolies and
combinations in restraint of
trade.
The Supreme Court shall have
exclusive jurisdiction to review, revise,
reverse, modify or affirm on appeal, as
the law or rules of court may provide,
final judgments and decrees of inferior
courts as herein provided, in
(1) All criminal cases involving
offenses for which the penalty
imposed is death or life
imprisonment; and those
involving other offenses which,
although not so punished, arose
out of the same occurrence or
which may have been committed
by the accused on the same
occasion, as that giving rise to
the more serious offense,
regardless of whether the accused
are charged as principals,
accomplices or accessories, or
whether they have been tried
jointly or separately;
(2) All cases involving petitions
for naturalization or
denaturalization; and
(3) All decisions of the Auditor
General, if the appellant is a
private person or entity.
The Supreme Court shall further
have exclusive jurisdiction to review,
revise, reverse, modify or affirm on
certiorari as the law or rules of court
may provide, final judgments and
decrees of inferior courts as herein
provided, in
(1) All cases in which the
constitutionality or validity of
any treaty, law, ordinance, or
executive order or regulation is
in question;
(2) All cases involving the
legality of any tax, impost,
assessment or toil, or any penalty
imposed in relation thereto;
(3) All cases in which the
jurisdiction of any inferior court
is in issue;
(4) All other cases in which only
errors or questions of law are
involved: Provided, however,
That if, in addition to
constitutional, tax or
jurisdictional questions, the cases
mentioned in the three next
preceding paragraphs also
involve questions of fact or
mixed questions of fact and law,
the aggrieved party shall appeal
to the Court of Appeals; and the
final judgment or decision of the
latter may be reviewed, revised,
reversed, modified or affirmed
by the Supreme Court on writ of
certiorari; and
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(5) Final awards, judgments,
decisions, or orders of the
Commission on Elections, Court
of Tax Appeals, Court of
Industrial Relations, the Public
Service Commission and the
Workmen's Compensation
Commission.

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