MTF Articles Archives - MTF Counsel | Tax, Customs, Commercial, Corporate Lawyers Philippines

The independent director concept

Written on May 28, 2026. Posted in MTF Articles.

By: Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on May 28, 2026 THE requirement of having independent directors in Philippine boards has evolved from being a mere corporate governance mandate into a legal one under the Revised Corporation Code (RCC or Republic Act 11232) and the Securities Regulation Code...

Exemption from Excise Tax of Petroleum Products and Refund Mechanism

Written on May 21, 2026. Posted in MTF Articles.

By: Atty. Aziza Hannah A. Bacay on May 21, 2026 AS a general rule, petroleum products are subject to excise tax, the rates of which vary depending on the kind of product and volume involved. Recent international conflicts, however, brought about an energy crisis and price hikes, which triggered...

Benefits of trademark registration

Written on May 7, 2026. Posted in MTF Articles.

By: Atty. Rey Christian M. Guintibano on May 7, 2026 IN today’s competitive and brand-driven marketplace, a business’ trademark is one of its most valuable assets and protecting it is essential. The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (IP Code) recognizes this and provides a legal...

RPT not a prerequisite to LBT payment

Written on April 23, 2026. Posted in MTF Articles.

By: Atty. Kaeth Louis C. Estrada on April 23,2026 BUSINESSES frequently face challenges when applying for business permits and paying local business taxes (LBT). Before a local government unit issues or renews permits or accepts LBT payments from a business, it will require the submission of specific...

Taxpayers as top withholding agents

Written on April 16, 2026. Posted in MTF Articles.

By: Atty. Lew Earvin H. Manarin on April 16, 2026 TAXES are rarely simple. But the withholding tax mechanism reflects a clear and practical policy choice: collect income tax at source before it is lost to non-compliance. For taxpayers, this system is important in determining whether they have...

Taxation of cross-border services clarified

Written on April 9, 2026. Posted in MTF Articles.

By: Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on April 9, 2026 THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has clarified that not all income from cross-border transactions should be considered Philippine-sourced income. On March 30, 2026, the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 24-2026 to clarify the...

How the energy emergency and fuel tax relief law operates

Written on April 2, 2026. Posted in MTF Articles.

By: Atty. Wenver James C. Dela Rosa on April 2, 2026 IN response to global oil market disruptions brought about by the war in the Middle East, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently declared a state of national energy emergency and rolled out a coordinated national response by issuing Executive...

Rights and empowerment under the Magna Carta for Women

Written on March 26, 2026. Posted in MTF Articles.

By: Atty. Keshia Daniell L. Valencia on March 26, 2026 LONG before the enactment of the Magna Carta for Women (MCW), the late president Cory Aquino, in 1988, designated March as “Women’s Role in History” month, rationalizing that it would be fair and fitting that contributions of Filipino women...

Withholding tax obligation challenges of ASEAN member-states

Written on March 19, 2026. Posted in MTF Articles.

By: Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on March 19, 2026 ON March 11, 2026, I was invited as a resource speaker in a discussion on “Tax Compliance Challenges Faced by Businesses in the Asean Member-States (AMS)” during the 22nd Working Group on the Asean Forum on Taxation (WG-AFT) held at the New...