Article 1423. Obligations are civil or natural. Civil obligations give a right of action to compel their performance. Natural obligations, not being based on positive law but on equity and natural law, do not grant a right of action to enforce their performance, but after voluntary fulfillment by the obligor, they authorize the retention of what has been delivered or rendered by reason thereof. Some natural obligations are set forth in the following articles.
Artikulo 1423. 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.
OBLIGATIONS AND CONTRACTS 