Short answer. Yes. Article 2256 of the Civil Code protects acts and contracts valid under the old law — they remain fully operative under the old rules. The new Code does not reach back to invalidate them. However, any revocation or modification made after the new Code took effect must follow its provisions.
What the law says
Acts and contracts under the regime of the old laws, if they are valid in accordance therewith, shall continue to be fully operative as provided in the same, with the limitations established in these rules. But the revocation or modification of these acts and contracts after the beginning of the effectivity of this Code, shall be subject to the provisions of this new body of laws.
Civil Code, Article 2256 — Validity Of Prior Acts Preserved. Read the full provision →
The basic protection the transitional rule gives you
Article 2256 is a transitional provision that protects legal acts done before the current Civil Code took effect. It states that acts and contracts under the regime of the old laws, if they are valid in accordance therewith, shall continue to be fully operative as provided in the same. The governing principle is non-retroactivity: the Civil Code respects what the old law made lawful. If you could legally do something under the old Civil Code, the mere fact that the new Code restricts or conditions the same act does not reach back and invalidate what you already did.
The important limitation — what happens if you want to change things
The protection is not absolute, and Article 2256 marks a clear boundary: the revocation or modification of these acts and contracts after the beginning of the effectivity of this Code, shall be subject to the provisions of this new body of laws. This means the old act itself is safe, but if you later want to revoke it, amend it, or change it in any way, you must follow the rules of the new Code as they stand today. You cannot reach back to the old rules to govern a revocation or modification you are making now.
A practical example of how the split works
Suppose a donation was made under the old Civil Code in a form that the current Code would no longer consider valid. That donation stands as it was — Article 2256 shields it. But if the donor later wanted to revoke the donation, the grounds, procedures, and timelines for revocation that the current Civil Code prescribes would govern that revocation action. The old rules allowed the gift to stand; the new rules govern any attempt to undo it. The act and the later action affecting it follow different legal regimes.
Why this matters if you are in a dispute
In property, contract, and succession disputes involving older transactions, the question of which code applies can be decisive. A deed executed in 1950, a will made in 1960, or a contract signed under the old Code may be fully valid by the standards of that time even if it would not pass muster under current rules. If someone is challenging the validity of an old act, the threshold question is: was it valid when it was done? If yes, Article 2256 means the new Code cannot strip it of its effect. Legal advice is worth seeking early if the validity of an older document is in question.