JOHN RHONIEL B.

MATEO, RN, LPT

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107
islands.
Thereare three principal regions of the
archipelago: Luzon, Mindanao and Visayas
group of islands.
The Philippines is a democratic republican
state with a presidential form of
government.
The Philippine government consists of the
executive, legislative, and judicial
branches.
National population of 108.3 million (as of
July 2019)
The official national language is Filipino.
Most Filipinos are bilingual, speaking
English fluently as their second language.
It is also the main language used in
business, government, and schools, and
is also common in everyday
communication. Local laws are also
written in English.
ThePhilippines is the only predominantly
Christian country in Asia with
approximately 83% of the population
belonging to the Roman Catholic
Church.
The Philippine legal system is aptly described as a
blend of customary usage, and Roman (civil law) as
well as Anglo-American (common laws) system.
The civil law operates in areas such as family
relations, property, succession, contract and criminal
law.
Statutes and principles of common law origin are
evident in such areas as constitutional law,
procedure, corporation law, negotiable instruments,
taxation, insurance, labour relations, banking and
currency.
Insome Southern parts of the islands, Islamic law is
observed.
The main sources of Philippine law are
the Constitution, statutes, treaties and
conventions, and judicial decisions.
The Constitution is the fundamental law
of the land and as such, it is authority of
the highest order against which no other
authority can prevail.
Statutes are intended to supply the
details which the Constitution does not
provide for.
Philippine law is also derived from cases.
› The Civil Code provides that ‘judicial decisions
applying to or interpreting the laws or the
Constitution shall form a part of the legal system of
the Philippines’.
Only decisions of its Supreme Court establish
jurisprudence and are binding on all other
courts. They are also binding to everyone,
much like the laws are made binding.
These decisions assume the same authority as
the statutes to which they apply or interpret
until authoritatively abandoned by the
Supreme Court.
First-level courts
Regional Trial Courts
Court of Appeals
Supreme Court
Other special courts:
› Sandiganbayan
› Court of Tax Appeals
› Shari’a Courts
› “Quasi-courts” (administrative agencies)
PURPOSE AND GOALS

In the nursing profession, instances of

litigation can occur, despite healthcare
professionals’ best efforts in providing
quality care. The goal of this topic is to
educate nurses regarding their
responsibility and accountability to
patients and the complex issues involved
in basic legal situations.
 Ethics vs Law

 Laws are agreed upon rules of society.

 Ethics is defined as professional

standards of conduct or actions in
relating to others.
 ASK YOURSELF
 Can you think of a time when you believe
something was “right” but the law said it
was wrong?

 Or how about the opposite – Can you think

of a time when you believed something was
“wrong” but the law said it was right?
 ASK YOURSELF
 Do you believe that there is something good
or bad, right or wrong?
 Or do you generally believe that there is a
gray area, where good/bad and right/wrong
are less clear?
 What informs your decision about what is
right/wrong? Religion? Cultural Values? A
formal code of conduct? Law? Or something
else?
 Principles of Ethics
 Beneficence
 Principle of “doing good”
 Nonmaleficence
 Principle of avoiding harm
 Autonomy
 Principle protecting one’s right to make
his/her on decisions
 Justice
 Principle describing the obligation to be fair
in the distribution of benefits and risk
PURPOSE AND GOALS

In the nursing profession, instances of

litigation can occur, despite healthcare
professionals’ best efforts in providing
quality care. The goal of this topic is to
educate nurses regarding their
responsibility and accountability to
patients and the complex issues involved
in basic legal situations.
PURPOSE AND GOALS

In the nursing profession, instances of

litigation can occur, despite healthcare
professionals’ best efforts in providing
quality care. The goal of this topic is to
educate nurses regarding their
responsibility and accountability to
patients and the complex issues involved
in basic legal situations.