File a verified Statement of Claim (Form 1-SCC) in the first-level court with your documents and witness affidavits, after a written demand and barangay conciliation where required. Money claims up to ₱1,000,000 only; no lawyer at the hearing; decision within 24 hours; no appeal.
Small claims or a regular civil action? Compare coverage, amount limits, lawyers, speed, appeal and cost, and follow a step-by-step path to the right forum in the Philippines.
A triage guide for individuals: identify your everyday civil dispute, then follow the legal order — proof, written demand, barangay conciliation, small claims or a civil case — before the prescriptive period runs out.
Quick answer: An action based on a written contract generally must be filed within 10 years from the time the right of action accrues under Article 1144 of the Civil Code. But not every contract-related claim has the same prescriptive period, and the starting date is not necessarily the date the contract was signed. What…