What are immovables by nature?

Immovables by nature are those cannot be moved from place to place; their intrinsic qualities have no utility except in a fixed place (especially Par. 1 & 8 of Art. 415 of the Civil Code).

[1] A building's adherence to the land must be permanent and substantial. "Permanent and substantial" means "not merely superimposed." According to the Supreme Court, a "true building (not merely superimposed on the soil) is immovable or real property, whether it is erected by the owner of the land or by usufructuary or lessee." (G.R. No. L-11139. April 23, 1958)

[2] Buildings have been considered as immovables, despite: (i) Treatment by the parties e.g. they constitute a separate mortgage on the building and the land; or (ii) Separate ownership i.e. a building on rented land is still considered an immovable.

[3] Mineral deposits which are still deposited in the soil are, by nature, immovable. When minerals have been extracted, they become movable.

[4] Slag dump is the dirt and soil taken from a mine and piled upon the surface of the ground. Inside the dump can be found the minerals. Slag dump, by nature, are immovable as long as they form part of the soil. When loaded into a truck, they become movable.

[5] Waters are, by nature, immovable. Note that "waters" refers to bodies of water still attached to or running thru the soil or the ground. Hence, water in a bottle is movable. In fact, it can be argued that water in a bottle is a "force of nature" brought under our control; however, this is not the view of a majority of authors in property law.