1 1 CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES PRELIMINARY TITLE Chapter 1 EFFECT AND APPLICATION OF LAWS Article 1. This Act shall be known as the Civil Code of the Philippines. REPUBLIC ACT NUMBER 386. The main draft of the Civil Code was prepared by the Roxas Code Commission, which was created via Executive Order No. 48 of March 20, 1947 by President Manuel Roxas. Dr. Jorge C. Bocobo was the chairman. The members were Judge Guillermo B. Guevarra, Dean Pedro Y. Ylagan, and Francisco R. Capistrano. Arturo M. Tolentino was added to the Commission but, after a while, had to resign due to his election as a congressman. In his place, Dr. Carmelino Alvendia was appointed. The 1947 Code Commission started working on May 8, 1947 and ended on December 15, 1947. On January 26, 1949, the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines passed Republic Act 386, which is “An Act to Ordain and Institute the Civil Code of the Philippines.” Article 2. Laws shall take effect after fifteen days following the completion of their publication in the Official Gazette, unless it is otherwise provided. This Code shall take effect one year after publication. EFFECTIVITY OF THE CIVIL CODE. The 1950 Civil Code of the Philippines took effect on August 30, 1950.