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[Publications] MTF Articles

Written on November 28, 2020
By: Atty. Ellaine Anne Bernardino on November 26, 2020 An intra-corporate dispute is one that arises between a stockholder and the corporation, or among stockholders concerning the internal affairs of the corporation. Previously, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had the jurisdiction to hear and decide intra-corporate disputes under Section…
Written on November 19, 2020
By: Atty. Aziza Hannah  Bacay on November 19,2020. Republic Act (RA) 11494, or the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” (Bayanihan 2), which implements the government’s response and recovery interventions related to the Covid-19 pandemic, granted some tax relief and incentives to taxpayers. One of these incentives is an income…
Written on November 13, 2020
By. Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on November 12,2020. A government or state exercises its taxing power and authority only on taxpayers, income or transactions that fall within its jurisdiction. Thus, the situs, or place, of taxation is critical in determining whether or not a state has the power to tax,…
Written on October 29, 2020
By: Atty.Aziza Hannah Bacay on October 29,2020. It has been more than a year since Republic Act 11213, or the “Tax Amnesty Act” (TAA), was enacted. It became effective on March 1, 2019. The TAA originally provided for an estate tax amnesty, a general tax amnesty and a tax amnesty…
Written on October 22, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on October 22,2020 Quarantine measures imposed by governments that restrict travel and movement because of the Covid-19 pandemic do not only affect economies, but also tax rules. In taxation and international tax treaty rules, the number of days a taxpayer or its employees and agents…
Written on October 16, 2020
By Atty. Kathleen Guiang on October 15,2020 The Covid-19 pandemic has not only prompted a global health emergency, but also caused severe global economic stress. In response, the government has implemented various measures and programs to manage its impact. To execute and sustain them, the government had to reallocate some…
Written on October 8, 2020
By: Atty. Nica Marsha Gasapo on October 8,2020 The Supreme Court has emphasized that a person’s employment — the main source of livelihood for most families — is something that no one may be deprived of without due process of law. This basic doctrine has gained special significance after the…
Written on October 1, 2020
By: Atty. Ellaine Anne Bernardino & Ramon Dy on October 1,2020 The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has caused numerous businesses to close and millions of Filipinos to lose their jobs. It has also led countless Filipinos under quarantine to use the internet to earn a living, resulting in a…
Written on September 24, 2020
By: Atty. Mark Anthony Tamayo on September 24,2020. Through the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 9282, the jurisdiction of the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has been expanded to include not only civil tax and customs duties cases, but also cases that are criminal in nature, local tax and property…
Written on September 17, 2020
By: Atty. Irish May Quintana on September 17,2020. In an effort to adopt technological advancements and incorporate developments in the law, jurisprudence and international conventions, the Supreme Court (SC) proposed amendments to the revised rules on evidence (RRE) in A.M. 19-08-15-SC, which took effect on May 1, 2020. The material…
Written on September 11, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on September 10,2020. In a landmark decision handed out on March 10, 2020, the Supreme Court (SC) declared void the 30-year-old foreign equity limitation on construction companies imposed under the “Revised Rules and Regulations Governing the Licensing and Accreditation of Contractors in the Philippines” or the…
Written on September 3, 2020
By: Atty. Kathleene Guiang on September 3,2020 A valid demand is essential to the validity of a Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) assessment of deficiency taxes against a taxpayer. This demand is ordinarily expressed in a formal letter of demand (FLD), which is issued and delivered with a final assessment…
Written on September 3, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on August 27,2020. Taxpayers recently received some good news on how capital gains tax on the sale of unlisted shares of stocks is now calculated. This came in the form of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) issuance of Revenue Regulations (RR) 20-2020, which revised…
Written on August 21, 2020
By: Atty. Aziza Hannah Bacay on August 20,2020 Taxes are the lifeblood of the government. To ensure that the government lives, the Bureau of Internal Revenue was granted the power to collect taxes and even issue assessments against taxpayers if their taxes are deficient. To balance this power, the law…
Written on August 13, 2020
By: Atty. Nica Marsha Gasapo on August 13,2020 Covid-19 has caused so many disruptions in our everyday lives. To curb its spread, the government had to impose strict lockdowns that stalled the economy’s growth. However, certain sectors that capitalized on technology managed to stay afloat and withstood the logistical nightmare…
Written on August 6, 2020
By: Atty. Mark Anthony Tamayo on August 6,2020 Any scheme that has to do with minimizing, eliminating or altering the incidence of taxation may be closely scrutinized and ultimately questioned by tax authorities. There is no question that the adoption of fraudulent means to deliberately reduce, deceive or conceal one’s…
Written on July 30, 2020
By: Atty. Gerardo Maximo Francisco on July 30,2020 In a case we handled, the Supreme Court (SC) confirmed the entry of the judgment of its resolution affirming with finality the decisions of the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) and the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Makati that Makati City does…
Written on July 23, 2020
By: Atty. Mark Anthony Tamayo on July 23,2020. In tax litigation, assessments from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) are generally accorded the presumption of correctness and being made in good faith (Marcos II v. Court of Appeals, GR. 120880, June 5, 1997). In the absence of evidence to the contrary,…
Written on July 16, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on July 16,2020 The integrity of a financial system is a key factor in its financial stability. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno recently reiterated the need to amend Republic Act (RA) 1405, or the “Bank Secrecy…
Written on July 10, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on July 9,2020 The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and the community quarantines imposed to curb its spread certainly affected people’s lifestyles. It also affected their spending habits, as seen in the increase in the use of the internet and various online platforms to purchase…
Written on July 2, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez Because of the serious threat posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic to the health, safety and security of Filipinos, a state of national emergency was declared over the country under Section 2 of Republic Act (RA) 11469, or “the Bayanihan to Heal as…
Written on June 25, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on June 25,2020 The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has spurred the growth of digital and online transactions, and this highlighted the taxation issues about them. In May, we saw the filing of House Bill 6765, or the “Digital Economy Act of 2020.” Sponsored by…
Written on June 18, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on June 18,2020 The community quarantines brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic pushed many to use electronic or online platforms, like Facebook, Viber and Instagram, to continue their businesses or start new ones. However, there was some resistance when the Bureau of…
Written on June 11, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on June 11,2020 We celebrate Independence Day on June 12, 122 years after Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain and waved the first Philippine flag at his residence in Kawit, Cavite. On this day, we celebrate our love and loyalty for our country. Our…
Written on June 8, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on June 4,2020 I am a probinsiyana. I was born in Cebu City, my mother’s home city. I partly grew up there, as well as in Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte, my father’s home province. I have beautiful memories growing up in Dipolog. As someone…
Written on May 28, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on May 28,2020 The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic gave rise to some benefits. The Department of Finance (DoF) recently added proposed enhancements or amendments to the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act (Citira), now renamed the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises…
Written on May 21, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on May 21,2020 The huge impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic on the health and mobility of our people, as well as on our businesses and economy as a whole, is beyond what we all thought. The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) imposed in…
Written on May 19, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Labor Advisory No. 18 dated May 18, 2020, providing for the guidelines on the cost of Covid-19 prevention and control measures. The employer shall shoulder the cost of Covid-19 prevention and…
Written on May 19, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Labor Advisory No. 17 dated May 18, 2020, providing for the guidelines on employment preservation upon resumption of business operation. The DOLE encourages employers to adopt work-from-home or implement a telecommuting…
Written on May 14, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 47-2020 dated May 11, 2020, prescribing for the guidelines on temporary measures adopted by taxpayers relative to the receipting/invoicing requirements during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), in…
Written on May 14, 2020
By: Atty. Mark Anthony Tamayo on May 14,2020 One significant trade facilitation measure in customs clearance procedure and formalities was the adoption of the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) provisions relating to provisional or incomplete goods declaration (PGD) in the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA). To implement these provisions, the…
Written on May 11, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Department Order No. 213, which prescribes for the guidelines in the prescription of actions and suspension of reglementary periods to file pleadings, motions, and documents before the DOLE Regional Offices, Bureaus,…
Written on May 11, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Interim Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of Covid-19 issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on April 30, 2020. The DTI and DOLE Interim Guidelines is issued…
Written on May 7, 2020
By: Atty Gerardo Maximo Francisco on May 7,2020 At some point, the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) still in effect in many areas in the Philippines will be downgraded by the government to the level of a general community quarantine (GCQ). Hopefully, this vital decision to shift to a GCQ will…
Written on May 5, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Customs (BOC) Office of the Commissioner (Ocom) Memo No. 89-2020 dated April 23, 2020, entitled, “Extending the Suspension of Actual and Face-to-Face Seizure and Forfeiture Proceedings”. The BOC declared that Memorandum dated March 18, 2020…
Written on May 4, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Customs (BOC) Office of the Commissioner (Ocom) Memo No. 82-2020 dated April 13, 2020, entitled, “Online Submission of Documents for Export Processing”. The BOC allowed its accredited exporters, licensed custom brokers, and declarants to submit…
Written on May 4, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Customs (BOC) Office of the Commissioner (Ocom) Memo No. 80-2020 dated April 13, 2020, entitled, “Guidelines for the Online Filing and Submission of Goods Declaration for Warehousing and the Processing thereof during the ECQ as…
Written on May 4, 2020
 Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 11-2020 dated April 30, 2020, entitled, “Amends Section 2 of RR No. 10-2020 relative to the extension of statutory deadlines and timelines for the filing and submission of…
Written on April 30, 2020
By: Atty Gerardo Maximo Francisco on April 30,2020 “A probationary employee or probationer is one who is on trial for an employer, during which the latter determines whether or not the former is qualified for permanent employment. Indeed, the employer has the right, or is at liberty, to choose who…
Written on April 24, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Memorandum Circular No. 13, series of 2020 dated April 21, 2020. It provides for an extended deadline for submission of sustainability report (SR) for publicly listed companies (PLCs) whose fiscal year ends on…
Written on April 24, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Memorandum Circular No. 12, series of 2020, published on April 15, 2020. SEC MC No. 12 prescribes the following rules to be adopted by publicly-listed companies for sale of corporate assets: Sale…
Written on April 24, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Notice April 22, 2020. The SEC extended the filing of Integrated Annual Corporate Governance Report by publicly listed companies until July 30, 2020. Should you have questions on the above article, please…
Written on April 23, 2020
By: Atty. Carence Navidad on April 23,2020 FILIPINOS’ “bayanihan spirit” is again on display amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Various sectors have been contributing financially, donating various medical equipment, supplies and food to several health facilities and frontline workers across the country. Republic Act 11469, or the “Bayanihan…
Written on April 23, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Customs (BOC) Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 10-2020 dated April 8, 2020, entitled, “Summary Abandonment Proceedings during Enhanced Community Quarantine.” The abandonment proceedings for the refrigerated containers and dry vans is summarized as follows: Imported…
Written on April 22, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 44-2020 dated April 17, 2020, entitled, “Issuance of temporary electronic copies of VAT Certificates (VCs) and VAT Identification Cards (VICs) due to the continuing implementation of the…
Written on April 22, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 43-2020 dated April 17, 2020, entitled, “Prescribes the guidelines in the acceptance of payment of internal revenue taxes during the Enhanced Community Quarantine period”. During the Enhanced…
Written on April 21, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 42-2020 dated April 17, 2020. The BIR provided guidelines for the taxpayers who will be filing manually or will be using Offline eBIRForms Package or are enrolled…
Written on April 16, 2020
By Atty. Aziza Hannah Bacay on April 16,2020 With the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) extended until April 30, it is just proper for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to also extend various statutory and tax deadlines. Such an extension is mandated by Republic Act 11469, or the “Bayanihan…
Written on April 15, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Regulation (RR) No. 10-2020 dated April 14, 2020, which extends further the statutory deadlines and timelines for the submission and/or filing of various documents and/or returns, as well as the payment…
Written on April 13, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Notice issued on April 8, 2020, providing for a summary of guidelines on the filing of reports and other documents during the enhanced community quarantine. Should you have questions on the…
Written on April 13, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Notice dated March 30, 2020 providing for the procedure for remote filing of monitoring clearance for amendments to Articles of Incorporations and By-Laws. For applications for ordinary amendments (change of corporate…
Written on April 13, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 41-2020 dated April 8, 2020. The filing of application for new Authority to Print (ATP) receipts/invoices for expiring principal and supplementary receipts/invoices where the expiration date(s) falls…
Written on April 13, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 40-2020 dated April 8, 2020, providing for the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 11256 (An Act to Strengthen the Country’s Gross International Reserves, Amending…
Written on April 13, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 38-2020 dated April 8, 2020, extending further the deadline for availment of Tax Amnesty on Delinquencies from May 23, 2020 until June 8, 2020. Should you have…
Written on April 13, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 39-2020 dated April 8, 2020, providing for additional 15 calendar days on the due dates for the submission and/or filing of certain documents and/or returns as well…
Written on April 9, 2020
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Written on April 9, 2020
BY: Atty. Kathlene Guiang on April 9, 2020 The imposition of a Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine last month has prompted government agencies to issue circulars aimed at helping ease its impact on the lives of taxpayers. One of them, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), issued memorandum circulars and revenue…
Written on April 8, 2020
MTF Updates – BIR RR No. 9-2020 dated April 7, 2020 Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Regulation (RR) No. 9-2020 dated April 7, 2020, which implements Section 4 (Z) and Section 4 (EE) of Bayanihan to…
Written on April 7, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 37-2020 dated April 6, 2020, entitled “Filing of the Tax Returns and Payment of Taxes before the Extended Deadline.” Taxpayers who file their tax returns within the…
Written on April 7, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 36-2020 dated April 6, 2020, entitled “Further Clarification on the Exemption from Documentary StampTax (DST) Relief for Qualified Loans pursuant to Revenue Regulations No. 8-2020 dated April…
Written on April 7, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) No. 10-2020 dated March 30, 2020, which provides for the exemption from Authority to Release Imported Goods (ATRIG) requirements of all goods imported under Section 4, Paragraph (o)…
Written on April 7, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 08-2020 dated April 2, 2020, which implements  Section 4(aa) of the Republic Act No. 11469, otherwise known as the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act. Pursuant to Sec.…
Written on April 3, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We send to you a copy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue  Regulations No. 7-2020 dated March 30, 2020, which implements  Section 4 of Republic Act No. 11469 otherwise known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act and compiles the extension of the statutory deadlines and timelines…
Written on April 2, 2020
By: Atty. Euney Marie Mata-Perez on 2Apr20 The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic is greatly affecting all of us. To contain or manage the pandemic, the government imposed an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) covering Luzon, which we hope would end on April 12. Due to the serious threat to health,…
Written on April 1, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, We are sending you a copy of SSS Circular No. 2020-006, dated March 28, 2020: Extension of Deadline of Remittance Contributions. The SSS approved the extension of deadline of remittance of contributions by employers (Regular and Household) and self-employed, voluntary and non-working spouse members as follows: Type…
Written on March 26, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends,  The Bureau of Customs, in a Memorandum dated March 23, 2020 (please see attached),  has SUSPENDED the 7-day period to lodge goods declaration for the duration of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). "At any time during the declaration of ECQ, lodgement and filing of goods declaration may…
Written on March 26, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 33-2020: Extends Deadline of Tax Amnesty on Delinquencies under Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 4-2019, as amended by RR No. 5-2020. Pursuant to RR No. 5-2020 which stated that the availment of the Tax Amnesty on Delinquencies may be extended if the circumstances warrant…
Written on March 26, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 32-2020: Extends the deadline for the filing of Certificate of Residence for Tax Treaty Relief (CORTT) Forms. The deadline for filing of CORTT Forms for final withholding taxes on dividends, interests, royalties paid on or before March 10, 2020 is hereby extended until…
Written on March 26, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 31-2020: Extends the period of submission or filing of documents and correspondences pursuant to certain provisions in the Tax Code, as amended, and existing Revenue Regulations. The submission or filing of documents and correspondences is extended as specified below. Documents/Correspondence Extension Letter Answer…
Written on March 26, 2020
Dear Valued Clients and Friends, Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 30-2020: Amending Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 29-2020 and clarifications on RMC 28-2020 relative to the Extension of deadlines for the filing of CY 2019 Income Tax Returns and other various returns and payment of taxes due thereon. Required attachments for…
Written on March 26, 2020
By: MARK ANTHONY TAMAYO March 26, 2020 Last of two parts Last week, we discussed the salient features of the recently issued Customs Administrative Order (CAO) 02-2020 in relation to the dispute settlement and protest rules arising from tariff classification issues. Such issues may affect the assessment of duties, taxes…
Written on March 19, 2020
By MARK ANTHONY TAMAYO March 19, 2020 First of two parts Under the self-assessment scheme, importers are responsible for reporting the details of their importations with the Bureau of Customs (BoC). These details — which must be reflected in the goods declaration — include the value of the imported goods…
Written on March 12, 2020
By: Nica Marsha Gasapo on March 12,2020 The proper issuance of a letter of authority (LOA), which is a written official authority issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to its representatives to conduct a tax audit, is a strict legal requirement for the validity of a BIR tax assessment. The LOA…
Written on March 5, 2020
By: Kathleen Guiang on March 5,2020 Under the Local Government Code of 1991, owners or administrators of real property, whether natural or juridical persons, are required to prepare and file with the provincial, city or municipal assessor, a sworn statement declaring the true value of their property. Such declaration shall contain a…
Written on February 27, 2020
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on February 27,2020 In my article titled “Model taxpayer charter” that was published in The Manila Times on Nov. 15, 2018, I discussed the need for a taxpayer charter to protect taxpayers against threats on their rights, especially in the advent of various world-wide initiatives such…
Written on February 20, 2020
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on February 20,2020 The Senate Ways and Means Committee released Committee Report 50 dated Feb. 17, 2020, endorsing Senate Bill (SB) 1357, in substitution of SBs 535, 595 and 702, taking into consideration House Bill (HB) 4157, the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act…
Written on February 13, 2020
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on February 13,2020 The year 2020 started right for the viability of REITs or real estate investment trusts. The last of the major roadblocks for the creation of REITs has finally been removed, more than ten years after the passage of Republic Act (RA) 9856, or…
Written on February 6, 2020
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on February 6,2020 In last week’s article, we discussed that, under our National Internal Revenue Code, as amended (Tax Code), and existing regulations, donations in excess of P250,000 in any taxable year shall be exempt from donor’s tax if they are made to the national government,…
Written on January 30, 2020
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on January 30,2020 The recent Taal Volcano eruption spurred once again the generosity of the Filipino spirit. Many Filipinos participated in countless relief efforts in various capacities, whether as volunteers or donors. Thus, it is good once again to be reminded of the benefits of giving…
Written on January 23, 2020
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on January 23,2020 Last of a series In last week’s article, we completed the discussion on the 11 Incoterms® rules as they relate to cross-border commercial transactions. In this last series, we shall focus on the possible effects and consequences of the chosen Incoterm® rule by…
Written on January 16, 2020
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on January 16,2020 Second of a series In last week’s article, we discussed the relevance of Incoterms 2020 as well as the salient features of Incoterms EXW (Ex Works), FOB (Free On Board), CPT (Carriage Paid To) and CFR (Cost and Freight), as they relate to…
Written on January 9, 2020
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on January 9,2020 The idea of the International Commercial Terms, or Incoterms®, was first conceived by the International Chamber of Commerce in 1921, with the first edition published in 1936. Since 1980, Incoterms® have been updated every decade in order to align the rules with changes…
Written on January 7, 2020
              By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on December 26,2019 THIS year passed like a breeze. We just celebrated Christmas. Everyone is still in a holiday mood. In our last article for the year, we deem it fit to look back at 2019 and review some…
Written on December 20, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on December 19,2019 The withholding tax obligations in the Philippines are not simple. Philippine taxpayers are required to withhold creditable withholding taxes (CWT) at varying rates on several income payments, and remit the taxes withheld to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). A CWT is an…
Written on December 9, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on December 5,2019 The Philippines is becoming a major player in the offshore gaming industry worldwide. Owing to our regulatory framework, offshore gaming operations can be granted licenses and be regulated, thereby, be legalized in the country. The main licensor is the Philippine Amusement and Gaming…
Written on December 2, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on November 28,2019 Last of two parts IN last week’s column, we discussed the basic concept of a customs bonded warehouse (CBW) in line with the newly issued guidelines under Customs Administrative Order (CAO) 13-2019. In this column, we shall discuss the associated costs in…
Written on November 21, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on November 21,2019 First of two parts The new guidelines on the establishment, operation, supervision and control of customs bonded warehouses (CBWs) was recently issued by the Department of Finance (DoF) and Bureau of Customs (BoC). Customs Administrative Order (CAO) No. 13-2019, which took effect…
Written on November 15, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on November 14,2019 NEW rules on taxation of digitalized transactions are being proposed by OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), and these rules will be game changing in international taxation. The power of taxation is exercised by each state. It is generally exercised over…
Written on November 7, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on November 7,2019 The world is getting smaller. Cross-border and digital transactions are becoming an integral part of business and everyday life. Thus, a global approach to taxing digital transactions is essential; otherwise, the risk of different countries promulgating their own rules leading to double…
Written on October 31, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on October 31,2019 So much has been written about the rationalization of tax incentives under the proposed Comprehensive Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira) or House Bill 4157. Thus, an understanding as to how the rationalization actual works is crucial. In the overall, Citira…
Written on October 25, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on October 24,2019 In a joint statement released this week, 11 business groups expressed support for the “overall corporate income tax framework” under the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira) or House Bill 4157. Citira proposes, among others, the lowering of the…
Written on October 17, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on October 17,2019 MULTINATIONAL companies engaged in related party transactions normally set up their respective transfer pricing (TP) policies for the purpose of achieving their specific operating profit margin targets. It is common though that the target would materially fall outside of the arm’s-length range at…
Written on October 10, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on October 10,2019 The long awaited guidelines for transfer pricing (TP) examinations was recently issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) under Revenue Audit Memorandum Order (RAMO) 1-2019 dated Aug. 20, 2019. It is basically a manual of standardized procedures and techniques to be adopted…
Written on October 4, 2019
By: Gerardo Maximo V. Francisco on October 3,2019 The jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) is limited to cases or disputes where there is an employer-employee relationship between the parties. If no such employer-employee relationship exists, then the regular courts would have jurisdiction over the case or dispute.…
Written on September 26, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on September 26,2019 IN sale of shares outside the facilities of the stock exchange, gain is calculated by deducting cost from the higher of the selling price or the fair market value of the shares sold. Unlike valuation of land, our National Internal Revenue Code…
Written on September 19, 2019
              By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on September 19,2019 The House of Representatives of this 18th Congress approved on third and final reading House Bill 4157 or the Citira (Corporate Income Tax and Incentive Rationalization Act), Package 2 of the government’s Comprehensive Tax Reform…
Written on September 16, 2019
By: Kathlene Guiang on September 12,2019 Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the grant of franchise, certificate, or any other form of authorization for the operation of a public utility is limited to Filipino citizens and to entities at least 60 percent of whose capital is owned and controlled by Filipino…
Written on September 5, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on September 5,2019 With the passage of the Revised Corporation Code (RCC), it is now important for corporations to determine whether or not they qualify as “corporations vested with public interest”. If they so qualify, they will be subject to following additional obligations under the code:…
Written on August 29, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on August 29, 2019 Under Republic Act 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (Train), the excise tax rates (which went up from last year’s rates) on diesel, bunker fuel and gasoline will further increase in 2020. A likely consequence of an…
Written on August 23, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on August 22,2019 With the passage of Republic Act 11346, which increases the excise tax on tobacco products to P45 per pack by 2020 from the current P35, Congress is quickly working on the passage of the other bills comprising the so-called Package 2+ of…
Written on August 15, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on August 15,2019 The news is replete with discussions on the refiling of the proposed bills for the other TRAIN Packages with the 18th Congress. However, there seems to be no discussion yet on any proposed amendment to the Bank Secrecy Act, Republic Act (RA) 1405,…
Written on August 9, 2019
By: Nica Marsha Gasapo on August 8,2019 The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued the Amended Guidelines and Procedures on the Use of Corporate and Partnership Names (Amended Guidelines) through SEC Memorandum Circular (MC) 13, Series of 2019. The amended guidelines introduce amendments to the Consolidated Guidelines and Procedures on the…
Written on August 1, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on August 1, 2019 There is a specific rationale behind the imposition of value-added tax (VAT). VAT was not intended to be imposed on every transaction or transfer. Its imposition must bear some relevance to the taxpayer’s role or link in the production chain. While…
Written on July 25, 2019
By: Samantha L. Poblacion on July 25,2019 There have been several major developments in the virtual currency space since our article, entitled “Regulating the Virtual Currency Space”, which was published on July 8, 2018. In the said article, we mentioned that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an advisory…
Written on July 18, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on July 18, 2019 Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article cited the wrong case number for Commissioner of Internal Revenue vs. Maersk Global Service Centres (Philippines), Ltd. The correct case number should be CTA EB Case No. 1786 and not 1789 as previously stated. See…
Written on July 11, 2019
By: Aziza Hannah Bacay on July 11,2019 Our present government has been pushing to liberalize foreign ownership restrictions to drive growth. Among the sectors the government is looking at to liberalize is the retail trade. It is also looking at introducing amendment to the Public Service Act (Commonwealth Act No. 146)…
Written on July 5, 2019
By: Samantha L. Poblacion on July 5, 2019 In pursuit of its mandate to enact the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Tax Amnesty Act (otherwise known as Republic Act 11213), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) released the IRRs for availment of amnesty on estate and delinquent taxes.
Written on June 27, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on June 27, 2019 In last week’s article, we mentioned that it has been almost 10 years since the passage of (RA 9856), or “An Act Providing the Legal Framework for Real Estate Investment Trust and for Other Purposes” (REIT Act). However, up to this…
Written on June 20, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on June 20, 2019 First of 2 parts) It has been almost ten years since the passage of Republic Act No. 9856, or An Act Providing the Legal Framework for Real Estate Investment Trust and for Other Purposes (REIT Act of 2009). However, up to…
Written on June 14, 2019
By: Nica Marsha Gasapo on June 13, 2019 On May 27, 2019, House Bill (HB) 9106 (HB 9106) entitled “An Act Granting Additional Privileges to Persons with Disabilities,” was approved on third reading by members of the House of Representatives of the 17th Congress, and transmitted to the Senate on…
Written on June 10, 2019
CLICK THIS LINK TO REGISTER SPEAKERS: Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez Atty. Mark Anthony P. Tamayo Atty. Gerardo Maximo V. Francisco TOPICS:  The Tax Reform Package by Atty. Euney Mata-Perez Updates on the recent developments in the implementation of the TRAIN Law Salient features of the recently enacted Tax Amnesty…
Written on June 6, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on June 6, 2019 MTF Tax and Legal Seminar Before I discuss today’s topic, I would like to invite everyone to our CPD-accredited legal and tax seminar scheduled on July 17, 2019. Please check our website, www.mtfcounsel.com or email us at info@mtfcounsel.com if interested. Topics…
Written on June 4, 2019
By: Atty. Medienne Isabelle M. Castillon On May 30, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requested the public to comment on the latest version of the General Information Sheet (GIS) which requires the disclosure of beneficial owners. Pursuant to SEC Memorandum Circular No. 17, Series of 2018, the latest…
Written on May 30, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on May 30, 2019 A corporation is an artificial person with a juridical personality separate from its stockholders, directors, and officers. With this personality, corporations enjoy the benefits of succession, limited liability protection, centralized management and generally free-transferability of shares. However, this separate personality can…
Written on May 23, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on May 23, 2019 To promote good governance and protect minority stockholders, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued Memorandum Circular No. 10, Series of 2019, promulgating the Rules on Material Related Party Transactions for Publicly-Listed Companies. The rules became effective on April 27,…
Written on May 16, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on May 16, 2019 The Asia-Oceana Tax Consultants’ Association, as represented by its President, Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez, attended as an observer of the first Conference of the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Forum (BRITACOF) hosted by the State Taxation Administration of…
Written on May 16, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on May 16, 2019 China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in various countries and international organizations in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa. “Belt” refers to the overland routes…
Written on May 14, 2019
By: Samantha L. Poblacion on May 10, 2019 The Philippine startup community awaits with bated breath for the approval of the Innovative Startup Bill. According to a senate press release in May 2018, the bill will provide support to innovative and tech startups, which pertain to businesses that provide unique…
Written on May 2, 2019
By: Nica Marsha Gasapo on May 2, 2019 Yesterday, May 1, was Labor Day and April was Autism Awareness Month. For today’s article, we will discuss Philippine laws geared toward the welfare and integration of persons with disability (PWDs). These laws seek to destroy social barriers that prejudice the rights…
Written on April 29, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on April 25, 2019 (Last of three parts) In last week’s article, we briefly discussed Republic Act (RA) No. 8752 (Anti-dumping Act) and RA No. 8751 (Countervailing Duty Act) as trade protection instruments, which can be used against unfair trade practices. In this article, we…
Written on April 22, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on April 18, 2019 (Second of three parts) In last week’s article, we discussed briefly Republic Act (RA) No. 8800 (Safeguard Measures Act) as a protection tool to address the unexpected surge in imports that cause (or threaten to cause) serious injury to the domestic…
Written on April 11, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on April 11, 2019 First of three parts The multifaceted systems of controls and taxes on traded goods were believed to be in existence over three centuries ago, when travelling merchants offered, on their own accord, customs fees to monarchs and sovereign rulers for the…
Written on April 5, 2019
By: Richelle Dianne R. Patawaran on April 4, 2019 The Revised Corporation Code (RCC), which took effect on Feb. 23, 2019, recently introduced significant changes to the conduct of corporate meetings and in effect imposed additional obligations on the corporate secretary in the conduct of such meetings. One such change…
Written on March 28, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on March 28, 2019 Republic Act No. 11232 or the Revised Corporation Code (RCC) has expanded the role and increased the powers of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Senator Franklin Drilon, the main author of the law, said during the very well-attended joint forum…
Written on March 22, 2019
By: Richelle Dianne R. Patawaran on March 21, 2019 With the 2019 Philippine general election less than two months away, and with the recent passage of the Revised Corporation Code (RCC), we take this opportunity to revisit the issue of whether political contributions by corporations are allowed under the law.
Written on March 14, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on March 14, 2019 In ranking the ease of doing business (EODB) of economies, the World Bank (WB) also evaluates a country’s protection of the interests of minority investors. In this regard, it considers two indices, namely, 1) conflicts of interest regulation, and 2) shareholders’…
Written on March 8, 2019
By: Samantha Poblacion on March 7, 2019 The past month rendered an important and interesting decision from the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC). On Feb. 12, 2019, the PCC denied the prospective acquisition by Universal Robina Corp.-Balayan (URC) of the sugarcane milling and refinery assets of Central Azucarera Don Pedro Inc.…
Written on February 28, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on February 28, 2019 Finally, the Revised Corporation Code or Republic Act No. 112321 (RCC) was signed into law by the President on February 20, 2019 and published in the Official Gazette on Feb. 21, 2019. It will thus become effective on March 8, 2019.…
Written on February 21, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on February 21, 2019 A year ago today, we published our first article in this column, entitled “A Good Beginning” (https://mtfcounsel.com/2018/02/22/a-good-beginning). It was the beginning of a journey and, after publishing a total of 52 articles, we continue to write. We are grateful to, and…
Written on February 21, 2019
MTF Managing Partner, Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez, was one of the panelists during the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Forum held on January 30, 2019 at the Ateneo Professional Schools Auditorium, Rockwell, Makati, Philippines. Atty. Mata-Perez, along with other local experts, were invited to discuss the implications of Republic…
Written on February 21, 2019
By: Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez In response to the thrust of the Asia-Oceana Tax Consultants’ Association to have more exchange of information among its members in the Asia-Pacific region, the Tax-Accountancy Association Union of Republic of Chinese Taipei (TAAUT) held a regional tax conference last January 21, 2019 in…
Written on February 18, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on February 14, 2019 Private corporations are created by fiction of law, and they owe their existence to the law establishing them. In our jurisdiction, such law is the Corporation Code. Upon the issuance by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of its certificate of…
Written on February 8, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on February 7, 2019 In response to the thrust of the Asia-Oceana Tax Consultants’ Association (AOTCA) to have more exchange of information among its members in the Asia-Pacific region, the Tax-Accountancy Association Union of Republic of Chinese Taipei (TAAUCT) held a regional tax conference last…
Written on February 1, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on January 31, 2019 Last of two parts In last week’s article, we discussed briefly the coverage of a post clearance audit (PCA) under customs administrative order (CAO) 01-2019 and the potential issues that may be raised by the post clearance audit group (PCAG) of…
Written on January 28, 2019
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on January 25, 2019 (First of two parts) The regulation on the guidelines of the Post Clearance Audit (PCA) and Prior Disclosure Program (PDP) has finally been signed by the Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary last Jan. 9, 2019. Embodied under Customs Administrative Order (CAO)…
Written on January 17, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on January 17, 2019 All corporations are now required to disclose their ultimate beneficial owners. This requirement is no longer limited to publicly-listed corporations. In Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Memorandum Circular No. 17, Series of 2018, SEC has required all SEC-registered domestic corporations, both…
Written on January 11, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on January 10, 2019 It is now clear that the proposed Tax Amnesty Act (TAA) will be passed soon. The report of the Bicameral Conference Committee which harmonized the provisions of the tax amnesty bills (House Bill Nos. 4814 and 8554 and Senate Bill No.…
Written on January 3, 2019
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on January 3,2019. Happy new year! The year 2018 was an interesting year in the tax arena. Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) Law, amending the National Internal Revenue Code (Tax Code), became effective on January 1, 2018. We then…
Written on December 27, 2018
The annual yuletide festival is certainly the most joyous time of the year. Not only do we celebrate the birth of our Lord but it is also the time to reconnect with friends, acquaintances and most specially, family and relatives. It is traditionally a season of gift giving, remembering dearly…
Written on December 20, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on December 20, 2018 The Senate and the House of Representatives have ratified a bicameral conference committee report that harmonized provisions of tax amnesty bills (House Bills 4814 and 8554 and Senate Bill 2059 [SB 2059]) passed by both houses of Congress.
Written on December 16, 2018
By Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on December 13, 2018 Advent is the time for giving. Thus, it is a good time to be reminded of the taxes imposed on donations and the tax benefits of making them.
Written on December 6, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on December 6, 2018 Senate Bill 1979 (in relation to House Bill 4800) proposes to impose a royalty tax on both metallic and non-metallic mining operations conducted outside mineral reservations, whether large scale or small scale, at three percent of the market value of the…
Written on November 29, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on November 29, 2018 Medical and hospitalization costs in the Philippines are not cheap and could be daunting for ordinary employees. Thus, to cover these costs, many employers obtain group health insurance plans or “health cards” for their employees or contribute to health and hospitalization…
Written on November 22, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on November 22, 2018 We are finally moving forward on the proposed general and estate tax amnesties. The Senate approved Senate Bill No. 2059 (SB 2059) on third and final reading last Nov. 19, 2019. On the other hand, the House of Representatives approved its…
Written on November 17, 2018
By: Euney Marie Mata-Perez on November 15, 2018 Mutual trust and respect between taxpayers and tax authorities, as well as fairness in tax laws, are cornerstones to a successful and effective tax system. Taxation is one of the State’s inherent and great powers. However, when exercising such power, the State…
Written on November 8, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on November 8, 2018 In the recently published 2019 World Bank Doing Business (DB) Report, the ranking of the Philippines dropped 11 notches from 113th place for the year 2018 to 124th place for the year 2019 out of 190 economies. In 2017, the Philippines…
Written on November 8, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on November 1, 2018 We just attended the 2018 World Conference of the International Tax Specialist Group (ITSG) held in the beautiful Rosewood Hotel in Beijing last Oct.r 24-26, 2018. The conference was attended by around 80 tax specialists and advisers from all over the…
Written on October 25, 2018
By: Nica Marsha V. Gasapo on October 25, 2018 A worker and an employer enter into an employment contract to realize their respective interests—the worker, to make ends meet; the employer, to earn profits. An employment contract, however, is a special contract because the State can step in to regulate…
Written on October 18, 2018
By: Felson M. Dalaguete on October 18, 2018 A corporation that permits the accumulation of earnings and profits beyond the reasonable needs of the business is subject to the 10 percent Improperly Accumulated Earnings Tax (IAET). If the accumulation is justified to be within the reasonable needs of the business,…
Written on October 11, 2018
By: Elreen Joy O. De Guzman on October 11, 2018 Under Senate Bill (SB) No. 1280, the proposed Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines, a single natural person, trust, or estate can form a one-person corporation (OPC). Unlike a sole proprietorship, an OPC will have a juridical personality separate from…
Written on October 4, 2018
By: Aziza Hannah Bacay on October 4, 2018 A part of taxpayer’s due process rights under law is to be subject to a tax audit and assessment (for deficiency taxes) by the BIR only within certain defined periods, known as “prescriptive periods.” If the BIR does not make a tax…
Written on September 27, 2018
By: Felson Dalaguete on September 27, 2018 The Commissioner of Internal Revenue (CIR) is empowered by law to audit the books of taxpayers. Such audits must be conducted by the CIR or his duly authorized officer. The authority given to revenue officers should be set out in a duly-issued and…
Written on September 20, 2018
By: Euney Marie Mata-Perez on September 20, 2018 The Asia-Oceana Tax Consultants’ Association (AOTCA) International Tax Conference held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia just concluded on September 13, 2018. Panels of international speakers from various jurisdictions spoke on the history, challenges, development and other aspects of tax avoidance and general anti-tax avoidance…
Written on September 13, 2018
By: Florian Salcedo on September 13, 2018 In keeping with the constitutional policy affirming labor as a primary social and economic force, the President has recently signed into law Republic Act (RA) 11058. RA 11058, signed on August 17, 2018, intends to strengthen compliance by employers, in all private establishments…
Written on September 6, 2018
By: Mark Anthony Tamayo on September 6, 2018 One of the main tasks of the Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is to exercise, directly or indirectly, any customs power, duties and functions for the effective implementation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and other customs related…
Written on August 30, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on August 30. 2018 The Revised Corporation Code (RCC) proposed under Senate Bill No. 1280 continues to impose the duties of diligence, loyalty and obedience upon directors, trustees and officers of corporations. Thus, it continues to uphold the rule that directors and officers can’t be…
Written on August 23, 2018
To date, our Tax Code doesn’t contain general anti-tax avoidance rules or general principles or rules to check potential tax avoidance in general. The “Tax Reform for Acceleration of Better and High-quality Opportunities” or “TRABAHO Bill” attempts to address this by introducing amendments to Section 50 of our Tax Code.
Written on August 16, 2018
By: Euney Marie Mata-Perez on August 16, 2018 The Senate finally approved on third reading Senate Bill 1280 (SB 1280) which, once passed into law, introduces major amendments to our existing Corporation Code (Batas Pambansa Blg. 68) passed 38 years ago in 1980. It’s thus worth noting the significant amendments…
Written on August 9, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on August 9, 2018 As a general rule, corporate officers are not liable for a corporation’s liabilities because of the legal fiction that corporate entities have legal personality separate from the individuals that comprise it.
Written on August 2, 2018
By: Euney Marie Mata-Perez on August 2, 2018 The current tax amnesty bill proposed by the Department of Finance (DOF) deals with an estate and a general tax amnesty (GTA) in separate parts, as well as with an unprecedented tax amnesty on delinquencies. The first part of the proposed bill…
Written on August 1, 2018
By: Bernadette E. Tamayo on July 29, 2018 TAXPAYERS would enjoy the benefits of the taxes being collected from them if the government would further broaden the tax base and collect more revenues for infrastructure and social services programs, a tax lawyer said on Saturday.
Written on July 26, 2018
By: Richelle Dianne R. Patawaran on July 26, 2018 The Data Privacy Act of 2012 (DPA) prohibits the processing of “personal information” except when certain conditions exist. Thus, personal information controllers have been very cautious in releasing information, such as lists of names, etc., in fear of violating this rule.…
Written on July 19, 2018
By: Mark Anthony Tamayo on July 19, 2018 It’s common for regular importers to be oblivious of the mistakes and errors in the details of particulars of their previously filed goods declarations relative to their past shipments of goods into the country. Importers generally consider their declarations correct and final…
Written on July 12, 2018
By: Samantha Poblacion on July 12, 2018 The recognition of mental health as a basic human right in the Philippines finally came to pass after the Philippine Mental Health Law (Republic Act No. 11036, or RA 11036) was signed into law on June 21, 2018. The bill was pending in…
Written on July 5, 2018
By: Florian Salcedo on July 5, 2018 On November 21, 2017, in time for its 81st anniversary celebration, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launched the full implementation of the SEC Company Registration System (CRS), an online platform providing for the full automation and online processing of corporations and partnerships,…
Written on June 29, 2018
By: Euney Marie Mata-Perez on June 28, 2018 Reaching 50 years is no mean feat for a corporation and certainly a milestone worthy of a grand celebration. However, from a corporation law standpoint, it can mean the “death” of the corporation when no application for extension or renewal of corporate…
Written on June 21, 2018
By: Florian Salcedo on June 21, 2018 On February 22, 2018, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 12-2018 which effectively grants the Commissioner of Internal Revenue (CIR) the power to compel lawyers to divulge information of their clients as taxpayers. This issuance caused ripples…
Written on June 14, 2018
By: Euney Marie Mata-Perez on June 14, 2018 In the corporate world, mergers are effective means to forge alliances and achieve economies of scale. Because resources are combined, mergers help companies grow and diversify as well as boost their market penetration. They can also simplify complex group structures.
Written on June 8, 2018
By: Samantha Poblacion on June 7, 2018 On the eve of December 17, 2017, the price of the world’s first and most-traded virtual or cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, reached an all-time high of $19,783.21 since the publication of Satoshi Nakamoto’s white paper on the use of Bitcoin in 2009, when each coin…
Written on May 31, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on May 31, 2018 A few days ago, we saw the premiere of the movie entitled “Honor,” which is about the life of Jose Abad Santos, the fifth chief justice of our Supreme Court, and who briefly acted as President of the Commonwealth and Commander…
Written on May 24, 2018
By: Gerardo Maximo Francisco on May 24, 2018 A recent article in this column entitled “Fixing fixed-term contracts” (The Manila Times, May 10, 2018) discussed the illegalization of fixed-term employment contracts as one way that House Bill No. 6908 (An Act Strengthening the Security of Tenure of Workers, Amending for…
Written on May 17, 2018
By Richelle Dianne Patawaran on May 17, 2018 Every second Sunday of May, we honor and pay tribute to our mothers for their strength, resilience and the pivotal role they play in shaping us into the people we are today. From a legal standpoint, we may also pay tribute to…
Written on May 11, 2018
By: Gerardo Maximo Francisco on May 10, 2018 To fix the problem of “endo” (end-of-contract), House Bill No. 6908 (An Act Strengthening the Security of Tenure of Workers, Amending for the Purpose Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, otherwise known as the “Labor Code”) proposes, as one major solution (another…
Written on May 3, 2018
By Richelle Patawaran on May 3, 2018 Since 1903, the Philippines has been celebrating Labor Day annually to recognize the contribution of workers to the economy, and to raise awareness about labor issues affecting the rights of Filipino workers. In honor of Labor Day, we take this opportunity to revisit…
Written on May 3, 2018
By: Mark Anthony P. Tamayo on April 26, 2018 Business entities engaged in the manufacture of finished products for eventual export typically source the majority of their raw material (RM) inputs from foreign suppliers. These purchases will, upon their importation, be subject to the payment of customs duties and import…
Written on April 20, 2018
By Euney Marie Mata-Perez on April 19, 2018 With the tax-filing season recently concluded, we are certain that the BIR will be stepping up on its audit and collection efforts. Thus, knowing the rules in assessments, including how the BIR validly serves notices, is crucial. Due process dictates that every…
Written on April 12, 2018
By: Gerardo Maximo Francisco on April 12, 2018 Many employees took time off work last Monday, April 9, to commemorate Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), a regular Philippine holiday. Many others, including those whose employers provide services to persons abroad, reported for work on the same day. For those…
Written on April 6, 2018
By Euney Marie Mata-Perez on April 5, 2018 Value-added tax, or VAT, is not a singular-minded tax on every transactional level. Its assessment bears direct relevance to the taxpayer’s role or link in the production chain. Thus, its imposition is intimately related to the regularity and consistency of the conduct…
Written on April 2, 2018
By Euney Marie Mata-Perez on March 29, 2018 The TRAIN, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (Republic Act No. 10963), provided some relief or good news to us, taxpayers. It lowered the 20 percent deficiency and delinquency interests to double the legal interest for loans or forbearance…
Written on March 28, 2018
By: Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez on March 22, 2018 Estate tax is one of the lowest performers in our tax system. Payable six months after death – now extended to one year under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) – the tax is often paid late. The lack…
Written on March 28, 2018
by Atty. Mark Anthony Tamayo (Last of two parts) In last week’s article, we discussed briefly the link between transfer pricing (TP) and the customs valuation rules and the possible customs and tax implications of related party transactions. One of the conditions on the acceptability of a declared value (particularly…
Written on March 28, 2018
by Atty. Mark Anthony Tamayo (First of two parts) Corporate taxpayers who source imported goods from related foreign suppliers should ensure that they do not only comply with transfer pricing (TP) rules but also with the rules pertaining to the valuation of imported goods for customs purposes. Both TP and…
Written on March 1, 2018
by Atty. Mark Anthony Tamayo The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC), both attached agencies of the Department of Finance (DOF), are the country’s main revenue collecting agencies. The government relies heavily on them to fund its various expenditures. Their yearly collection performances are influenced…
Written on February 22, 2018
By Atty. Euney Mata-Perez Today is a good and exciting day for our law firm. Beginning today and every Thursday, we have the privilege (thank you, The Manila Times!) of being able to share and write here about our work and passion – the law. We love the law because…
Written on February 8, 2018
MTF Partner and customs law expert, Atty. Mark Anthony P. Tamayo, was inducted as a new member of the Tax Management Association of the Philippines, during the TMAP induction and membership meeting held last January 25, 2017. BIR Commissioner Cesar R. Dulay was the guest speaker and inducting officer of…
Written on February 5, 2018
The TRAIN or Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (Republic Act No. 10963) provided some relief to us, taxpayers. TRAIN amended Section 2491 of our Tax Code to prohibit expressly the simultaneous or overlap in the imposition of the 20% deficiency interest and 20% delinquency interest, and to clarify…
Written on February 5, 2018
Mata-Perez Tamayo & Francisco (MTF Counsel) conducted a successful Tax and Customs Update Seminar on Monday, February 5, 2018, at the Shangri-La Makati. Atty. Euney Marie J. Mata-Perez, the Managing Partner of the firm, discussed the salient changes under the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act,  while Atty. Mark…
Written on January 10, 2018
The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, otherwise known as Republic Act (RA) 10963, is basically a blend of increases as well as reductions in tax rates. While it increased the tax on certain passive incomes, documentary stamp as well as excise on petroleum products, minerals, automobiles and…
Written on January 5, 2018
We wish to advise you that the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has issued Revenue Memorandum Circular 105-2017, dated December 28, 2017, revising the withholding tax table on compensation pursuant to the Tax Code amendments introduced by Republic Act (RA) 10963, or the Train Law. Beginning January 1, 2018, every…
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