Historic Panalo for LGBTQ+: Philippine Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Couples Can Co-Own Property
In a landmark ruling that has sent ripples across the LGBTQ+ community and legal circles alike, the Philippine Supreme Court has declared that same-sex couples may be legally recognized as co-owners of property they acquired together — a historic first in a country long resistant to expanding rights for same-sex partners. The high court applied Article 148 of the Philippine Family Code, which governs property rights for cohabiting couples who are legally unable to marry, and extended its coverage to same-sex couples for the first time.
The ruling, handed down on February 10, 2026, states that same-sex partners who lived together and both contributed to the acquisition of a property can be recognized as co-owners of that property under Philippine law. The decision does not grant marriage rights or create a civil union framework — marriage in the Philippines remains legally limited to opposite-sex couples — but it is seen as a significant step toward legal recognition of same-sex relationships and the protections that come with property co-ownership.
Human Rights Watch welcomed the ruling, calling it "an important recognition of the dignity and equality of LGBTQ+ people in the Philippines." LGBT rights advocates across the country celebrated the decision, while also noting that it represents just one piece of a much larger puzzle. "This is a panalo, but the fight is far from over," said one rights advocate. "We still need full legal protections — in employment, in healthcare, in family law. But today, we celebrate."
The ruling drew comparisons to gradual LGBTQ+ legal advances in other predominantly Catholic countries. Locally, the decision is expected to have immediate practical implications: same-sex couples who jointly purchased homes, land, or businesses will now have a legal basis to assert co-ownership rights in court — a protection previously denied to them under strict readings of the Family Code. Legal experts say the ruling opens the door for further jurisprudence that could eventually reshape how Philippine law treats same-sex relationships.
Predictably, the ruling also drew criticism from conservative and religious groups, some of whom called it a step toward the "normalization" of same-sex unions in a country where the Catholic Church still holds significant moral influence. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has not yet issued a formal response. For many Filipinos, the debate reflects the country's ongoing tension between deeply held traditional values and evolving ideas of justice and equality. Hindi simpleng usapin ito — pero ang batas ay nagsalita na. Source: UPI, BBC, Human Rights Watch, Philstar.com, Pink News
