San Beda College of Law

TRANSPORTATION LAW
I.

GENERAL CONCEPTS
a. Contract of Transportation in general
b. Perfection
c. Common Carriers
1. Statutory Definition (Art. 1732, Rep. Act 386)1
2. Distinction from Private Carriers
3. Distinction from towage, arrastre and stevedoring services
4. Tests in determining whether one is a common carrier
5. Parties to a Contract of Carriage
d. Registered Owner Rule and the Kabit System

Assigned Cases:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
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n.
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p.
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Baliwag Transit Corporation v. Court of Appeals

British Airways Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Dangwa Transportation Co., Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Light Rail Transit Authority v. Navidad
De Guzman v. Court of Appeals
Spouses Cruz v. Sun Holidays Inc.
Asia Lighterage and Shipping Inc. v. Court of Appeals
First Philippine Industrial Corp. v. Court of Appeals
Planters Products Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Fabre. v. Court of Appeals
Bascos v. Court of Appeals
FGU Insurance Corp. v. Sarmiento Trucking Corp.
Crisostomo v. Court of Appeals
Cargolift Shipping, Inc. v. L. Acuario Marketing Corp.
Erezo v. Jepte
Santos v. Sibug
Lita Enterprises, Inc. v. Court of Appeals
PCI Leasing and Finance Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Lim v. Court of Appeals
Teja Marketing v. IAC

169 SCRA 849

218 SCRA 699
202 SCRA 574
397 SCRA 75
168 SCRA 612
G.R. No. 186312
409 SCRA 340
300 SCRA 661
226 SCRA 476
259 SCRA 426
221 SCRA 318
386 SCRA 312
G.R. No. 138334
493 SCRA 157
G.R. No. L-9605
104 SCRA 520
G.R. No. L-64693
557 SCRA 141
G.R. No. 125817
148 SCRA 347

Unless otherwise indicated, all laws cited herein shall refer to the Civil Code of the Philippines
(Rep. Act No. 386).
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II.

OBLIGATIONS OF A COMMON CARRIER IN CONTRACTS FOR THE CARRIAGE OF GOODS

a. Degree of care over the goods
1. Duty to exercise extraordinary diligence (Arts. 1733, cf 363, 364 & 365)
2. Presumption of Negligence (Art. 1735)
3. Duration of liability (Art. 1736)
4. Defenses available to common carriers (Arts. 1734, 1739, 1740, 1742 &
1743)
i. Fortuitous event (Art. 1739)
ii. Public enemy (Art. 1739)
iii. Improper packing (Art.1742)
iv. Order by public authority (Art. 1743)
5. Contributory negligence of the shipper (Art.1741)
6. Stipulations limiting the liability of a carrier (Arts.1744, 1748, 1749 & 1750)
i. Requisites for validity (Arts.1744 & 1751)
ii. Invalid stipulations (Art.1745)
iii. Effect of Delay (Art.1747)
iv. Rule on the presumption of negligence despite stipulation (Art.1752)
b. Other obligations
1. Duty to accept the goods
i. Grounds for a valid refusal to accept goods
2. Duty to deliver the goods
i. Time of Delivery
ii. Consequences of delay (Arts.1740 & 1747)
iii. Place of Delivery
iv. To whom delivery shall be made (Arts. 1240, et seq.)

Assigned Cases:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.

Ganzon v. Court of Appeals

Fisher v. Yango Steamship Co.
Benedicto v. Intermediate Appellate Court
Eastern Shipping Lines, Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Sarkies Tours Philippines, Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Valenzuela Hardwood & Industrial Supply, Inc. v. CA
Yobido v. Court of Appeals
Ganzon v. Court of Appeals
Saludo, Jr. v. Court of Appeals
Macam v. Court of Appeals
SeaLand Services, Inc. v. Intermediate Appellate Court
Citadel Lines, Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Everette Steamship Corp. v. Court of Appeals

161 SCRA 646

G.R. No. 8095
187 SCRA 547
196 SCRA 570
280 SCRA 58
274 SCRA 642
281 SCRA 1
161 SCRA 646
207 SCRA 498
313 SCRA 77
153 SCRA 552
184 SCRA 544
297 SCRA 496
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n. British Airways v. Court of Appeals

o. Sweet Lines v. Teves

III.

OBLIGATIONS OF
PASSENGERS

THE

COMMON CARRIER IN

285 SCRA 450

83 SCRA 361

CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE FOR THE CARRIAGE OF

a. Safety of Passengers
1. Duty to observe utmost diligence (Art. 1755)
2. Duration of Liability
3. Presumption of negligence (Art. 1756)
4. Liability for acts of its employees (Art. 1759)
5. Liability for acts of strangers and/or third parties (Art. 1763)
6. Effect of stipulations regarding liability (Arts. 1757, 1758 & 1760)
b. Baggage (Arts. 1754, 7998, 2000 to 2003)
c. Relevant provisions of the Warsaw Convention
1. Binding effect of the Warsaw Convention
2. Categories of International Air Transportation
3. Liability under the Warsaw Convention
Assigned Cases:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.
p.
q.
r.
s.
t.
u.

Nocum v. Laguna Tayabas Bus Co.

Negros Navigation Co., Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Korean Airlines Co. Ltd. V. Court of Appeals
Dangwa Transportation Co., Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Fortune Express, Inc. v. Court of Appeals
Phil. Rabbit Bus Lines v. Intermediate Appellate Court
Lara v. Valencia
Necessito v. Paras
Japan Airlines v. Court of Appeals
Yobido v. Court of Appeals
La Mallorca De Jesus v. Court of Appeals
Aboitiz Shipping Corp. v. Court of Appeals
Calalas v. Court of Appeals
Gillaco v. Manila Railroad Company
Maranan v. Perez
Philippine National Railways v. Court of Appeals
Del Prado v. Manila Electric Co.
Isaac v. A.L. Ammen Transport Co., Inc.
PNR v. Brunty
Pilapil v. Court of Appeals
Gacal v. PAL

30 SCRA 69
281 SCRA 534
234 SCRA 717
202 SCRA 574
305 SCRA 15
189 SCRA 158
104 Phil 65
104 Phil 75
294 SCRA 19
281 SCRA 1
17 SCRA 739
179 SCRA 95
332 SCRA 870
97 Phil 884
20 SCRA 412
139 SCRA 87
G.R. No. L-l29462

101
506
180
183

Phil 1046
SCRA 685
SCRA 546
SCRA 189
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v.

IV.

Kapalaran Bus Line v. Coronado

176 SCRA 792

OBLIGATIONS OF THE SHIPPER, CONSIGNEE AND PASSENGER

a. Effect of negligence on the part of the shipper or passenger (Arts. 1741 & 17611762)
b. Payment of freight
c. Liability for demurrage

V.

EXTRAORDINARY DILIGENCE
a. Underlying Reason
b. Effect of Stipulation (Arts. 1744, 1757-1758 & 1760)
c. Extraordinary diligence in carriage by sea
1. Seaworthiness of the vessel (Secs. 3[1] & [2], Carriage of Goods by Sea Act
[COGSA]; Secs.116 & 119, Insurance Code)
2. Overloading
3. Proper Storage
4. Obligation of captain and crew
5. Rule on deviation and transhipment
d. Extraordinary diligence in carriage by land
1. Vehicles condition
2. Traffic Rules (Relevant provisions of Rep. Act 4136)
3. Obligation to inspect
4. Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Law (Rep. Act 10586)
e. Extraordinary diligence in carriage by air

VI.

BILL OF LADING AND OTHER FORMALITIES

a. Definition of Bill of Lading

b. Classes of Bill of Lading
c. Nature of a Bill of Lading (Secs.3[4] and [5], COGSA)
1. As a contract
i. Basic stipulations in a bill of lading (Sec. 4[5], COGSA)
ii. Prohibited stipulations (Art. 1745)
2. As a document of title (Arts. 1508-1510, 1513 & 1515)
3. As a receipt
d. Relevant provisions of the Warsaw Convention (Arts. 17-19 & 22, Warsaw
Convention)
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Assigned Case: Sweet Lines, Inc. v. Teves, supra.

VII.

ACTIONS IN CASE OF BREACH OF CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE

a. Causes of action and nature/extent of liability (culpa contractual, culpa

aquiliana and culpa delictual) (Arts. 1759, 2180; Art. 100, Revised Penal Code)
b. Prescriptive period and conditions precedent
1. Overland transportation of goods and coastwise shipping
2. International carriage of goods by sea (Sec. 3[6], COGSA)
c. Recoverable damages

VIII.

MARITIME LAW (Art. 573-869, Code of Commerce)

a. Concept of Maritime Law

b. Limited liability rule (Arts. 587, 590, 643 & 837, Ibid.)
1. Concept
2. Exceptions
3. Abandonment
Assigned Cases:
a. Luzon Stevedoring Corp. v. Escao
156 SCRA 169
b. Aboitiz v. General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corp. 217 SCRA 359
c. Lopez v. Duruelo
G.R. No. 29166
c. Vessels
1. Acquisition
i. By prescription (Arts. 573 & 575)
ii. By sale (Arts. 576-578)
iii. Registration (Sec. 810,Tariff and Customs Code)
iv. Ships manifest (Sec. 906, Tariff and Customs Code)
2. Mortgage of vessels (Pres. Dec. No. 1521)
d. Persons who take part in Maritime Commerce
1. Shipowners and shipagents (Arts. 586-588)
i. Rules in case of part-owners (Arts. 589-594)
ii. Rules in case of shipagents (Arts.595-602)
2. Captains and masters of vessels
i. Qualifications (Art. 609)
ii. Powers and functions (Arts. 610-612)
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iii. Discretionary Powers

3. Pilot
i. Concept
ii. Relationship to master and shipowner
4. Officers and crew of the vessel
Assigned Cases:
a. Yu Con v. Ipil, et. al.
b. Far Eastern Shipping Co v. CA

G.R. No. 10195

297 SCRA 30

e. Charter Parties
1. Concept
2. Kinds: bareboat and contract of affreightment
3. Persons qualified to charter
4. Requisites for a valid charter (Art. 652)
5. Concept of and liability for demurrage
6. Rights and obligations of charter parties
f. Loans on Bottomry and Respondentia
1. Definition (Art. 719)
2. Distinctions against ordinary loans
3. Parties
4. Formalities required (Art. 720)
5. Effect of loss (Art. 731)
6. Cases where loan is regarded as simple loan (Arts. 726-729)
g. Averages
1. Concept (Art. 806)
2. Classes of average and the persons liable
i. simple average (Arts. 809-810)
ii. General average (Arts. 811-813, 816-818, 732 & 859-861)
h. Collisions
1. Definition
2. Zones in collisions (doctrine of error in extremis)
3. Rules on liability (Arts. 826 to 832; doctrine of inscrutable fault)
4. Limited liability rule (Art. 837)
i. Arrival under stress
1. Concept (Art. 819 )
2. When improper (Art. 820 )
3. Expenses (Arts. 821 to 822 )
4. Custody of cargo (Arts. 823 to 824 )
5. Captains liability (Art. 825)
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6. Shipwreck (Arts. 840 to 845 )

j. Salvage
1. Definition
2. Rights and obligations of salvors and owners (Salvage Law)