Republic Act No. 8424

- This Act shall be cited as the "Tax Reform Act of 1997".

- It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote sustainable economic growth through the rationalization of the Philippine internal revenue tax system, including tax administration; to provide, as much as possible, an equitable relief to a greater number of taxpayers in order to improve levels of disposable income and increase economic activity; and to create a robust environment for business to enable firms to compete better in the regional as well as the global market, at the same time that the State ensures that Government is able to provide for the needs of those under its jurisdiction and care.

1158, as amended by, among others, Presidential Decree No. 1994 and Executive Order No. 273, otherwise known as the National Internal Revenue Code, is hereby further amended.

The Secretary of Finance shall, upon recommendation of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, promulgate and publish the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

- Deferment of the Effectivity of the Imposition of VAT on Certain Services. - The effectivity of the imposition of the value-added tax on services as prescribed in Section 17(a) and (b) of Republic Act No. 7616, as amended by Republic Act. 8241, is hereby further deferred until December 31, 1999, unless Congress deems otherwise: Provided, That the said services shall continue to pay the applicable tax prescribed under the present provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

- If any provision of this Act is subsequently declared unconstitutional, the validity of the remaining provisions hereof shall remain in full force and effect.

-(A) The provision of Section 17 of Republic Act No. 7906, otherwise known as the "Thrift Banks Acts of 1995" shall continue to be in force and effect only until December 31, 1999.

Effective January 1, 2000, all thrift banks, whether in operation as of that date or thereafter, shall no longer enjoy tax exemption as provided under Section 17 of R.A. No. 7906, thereby subjecting all thrift banks to taxes, fees and charges in the same manner and at the same rate as banks and other financial intermediaries.

TITLE I ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF THE BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE Section 1. Title of the Code. - This Code shall be known as the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997. Section 2. Powers and duties of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. - The Bureau of Internal Revenue shall be under the supervision and control of the Department of Finance and its powers and duties shall comprehend the assessment and collection of all national internal revenue taxes, fees, and charges, and the enforcement of all forfeitures, penalties, and fines connected therewith, including the execution of judgments in all cases decided in its favor by the Court of Tax Appeals and the ordinary courts. The Bureau shall give effect to and administer the supervisory and police powers conferred to it by this Code or other laws. Section 3. Chief Officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. - The Bureau of Internal Revenue shall have a chief to be known as Commissioner of Internal Revenue, hereinafter referred to as the Commissioner and four (4) assistant chiefs to be known as Deputy Commissioners. Section 4. Power of the Commissioner to Interpret Tax Laws and to Decide Tax Cases. - The power to interpret the provisions of this Code and other tax laws shall be under the exclusive and original jurisdiction of the Commissioner, subject to review by the Secretary of Finance. The power to decide disputed assessments, refunds of internal revenue taxes, fees or other charges, penalties imposed in relation thereto, or other matters arising under this Code or other laws or portions thereof administered by the Bureau of Internal Revenue is vested in the Commissioner, subject to the exclusive appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Tax Appeals. Section 5. Power of the Commissioner to Obtain Information, and to Summon, Examine, and Take Testimony of Persons. - In ascertaining the correctness of any return, or in making a return when none has been made, or in determining the liability of any person for any internal revenue tax, or in collecting any such liability, or in evaluating tax compliance, the Commissioner is authorized:

Duty of the Commissioner to Ensure the Provision and Distribution of forms, Receipts, Certificates, and Appliances, and the Acknowledgment of Payment of Taxes.- (A) Provision and Distribution to Proper Officials. - It shall be the duty of the Commissioner, among other things, to prescribe, provide, and distribute to the proper officials the requisite licenses internal revenue stamps, labels all other forms, certificates, bonds, records, invoices, books, receipts, instruments, appliances and apparatus used in administering the laws falling within the jurisdiction of the Bureau. For this purpose, internal revenue stamps, strip stamps and labels shall be caused by the Commissioner to be printed with adequate security features. Internal revenue stamps, whether of a bar code or fuson design, shall be firmly and conspicuously affixed on each pack of cigars and cigarettes subject to excise tax in the manner and form as prescribed by the Commissioner, upon approval of the Secretary of Finance.

- With the approval of the Secretary of Finance, the Commissioner shall divide the Philippines into such number of revenue districts as may form time to time be required for administrative purposes. Each of these districts shall be under the supervision of a Revenue District Officer.

- Under rules and regulations, policies and standards formulated by the Commissioner, with the approval of the Secretary of Finance, the Revenue Regional director shall, within the region and district offices under his jurisdiction, among others:

- It shall be the duty of every Revenue District Officer or other internal revenue officers and employees to ensure that all laws, and rules and regulations affecting national internal revenue are faithfully executed and complied with, and to aid in the prevention, detection and punishment of frauds of delinquencies in connection therewith. It shall be the duty of every Revenue District Officer to examine the efficiency of all officers and employees of the Bureau of Internal Revenue under his supervision, and to report in writing to the Commissioner, through the Regional Director, any neglect of duty, incompetency, delinquency, or malfeasance in office of any internal revenue officer of which he may obtain knowledge, with a statement of all the facts and any evidence sustaining each case.

- The following are hereby constituted agents of the Commissioner:

- subject to the rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, a Revenue Officer assigned to perform assessment functions in any district may, pursuant to a Letter of Authority issued by the Revenue Regional Director, examine taxpayers within the jurisdiction of the district in order to collect the correct amount of tax, or to recommend the assessment of any deficiency tax due in the same manner that the said acts could have been performed by the Revenue Regional Director himself.

- The Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, Service Chiefs, Assistant Service Chiefs, Revenue Regional Directors, Assistant Revenue Regional Directors, Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs of Divisions, Revenue District Officers, special deputies of the Commissioner, internal revenue officers and any other employee of the Bureau thereunto especially deputized by the Commissioner shall have the power to administer oaths and to take testimony in any official matter or investigation conducted by them regarding matters within the jurisdiction of the Bureau.

- The Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioners, the Revenue Regional Directors, the Revenue District Officers and other internal revenue officers shall have authority to make arrests and seizures for the violation of any penal law, rule or regulation administered by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Any person so arrested shall be forthwith brought before a court, there to be dealt with according to law.

Assignment of Internal Revenue Officers Involved in Excise Tax Functions to Establishments Where Articles subject to Excise Tax are Produced or Kept. - The Commissioner shall employ, assign, or reassign internal revenue officers involved in excise tax functions, as often as the exigencies of the revenue service may require, to establishments or places where articles subject to excise tax are produced or kept: Provided, That an internal revenue officer assigned to any such establishment shall in no case stay in his assignment for more than two (2) years, subject to rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner.

- The Commissioner may, subject to the provisions of Section 16 and the laws on civil service, as well as the rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Finance upon the recommendation of the Commissioner, assign or reassign internal revenue officers and employees of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, without change in their official rank and salary, to other or special duties connected with the enforcement or administration of the revenue laws as the exigencies of the service may require: Provided, That internal revenue officers assigned to perform assessment or collection function shall not remain in the same assignment for more than three (3) years; Provided, further, That assignment of internal revenue officers and employees of the Bureau to special duties shall not exceed one (1) year.

- When an internal revenue officer discovers evidence of a violation of this Code or of any law, rule or regulations administered by the Bureau of Internal Revenue of such character as to warrant the institution of criminal proceedings, he shall immediately report the facts to the Commissioner through his immediate superior, giving the name and address of the offender and the names of the witnesses if possible: Provided, That in urgent cases, the Revenue Regional director or Revenue District Officer, as the case may be, may send the report to the corresponding prosecuting officer in the latter case, a copy of his report shall be sent to the Commissioner.

- The annual Report of the Commissioner shall contain detailed statements of the collections of the Bureau with specifications of the sources of revenue by type of tax, by manner of payment, by revenue region and by industry group and its disbursements by classes of expenditures. In case the actual collection exceeds or falls short of target as set in the annual national budget by fifteen percent (15%) or more, the Commissioner shall explain the reason for such excess or shortfall.

- The following taxes, fees and charges are deemed to be national internal revenue taxes:

- When used in this Title:

- Except when otherwise provided in this Code:

- (A) Nonresident Alien Engaged in trade or Business Within the Philippines. - (1) In General. - A nonresident alien individual engaged in trade or business in the Philippines shall be subject to an income tax in the same manner as an individual citizen and a resident alien individual, on taxable income received from all sources within the Philippines. A nonresident alien individual who shall come to the Philippines and stay therein for an aggregate period of more than one hundred eighty (180) days during any calendar year shall be deemed a 'nonresident alien doing business in the Philippines'. Section 22 (G) of this Code notwithstanding.

- A general professional partnership as such shall not be subject to the income tax imposed under this Chapter. Persons engaging in business as partners in a general professional partnership shall be liable for income tax only in their separate and individual capacities. For purposes of computing the distributive share of the partners, the net income of the partnership shall be computed in the same manner as a corporation. Each partner shall report as gross income his distributive share, actually or constructively received, in the net income of the partnership. CHAPTER IV - TAX ON CORPORATIONS

- (A) In General. - Except as otherwise provided in this Code, an income tax of thirty-five percent (35%) is hereby imposed upon the taxable income derived during each taxable year from all sources within and without the Philippines by every corporation, as defined in Section 22(B) of this Code and taxable under this Title as a corporation, organized in, or existing under the laws of the Philippines: Provided, That effective January 1, 1998, the rate of income tax shall be thirty-four percent (34%); effective January 1, 1999, the rate shall be thirty-three percent (33%); and effective January 1, 2000 and thereafter, the rate shall be thirty-two percent (32%). In the case of corporations adopting the fiscal-year accounting period, the taxable income shall be computed without regard to the specific date when specific sales, purchases and other transactions occur. Their income and expenses for the fiscal year shall be deemed to have been earned and spent equally for each month of the period. The reduced corporate income tax rates shall be applied on the amount computed by multiplying the number of months covered by the new rates within the fiscal year by the taxable income of the corporation for the period, divided by twelve. Provided, further, That the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Finance, may effective January 1, 2000, allow corporations the option to be taxed at fifteen percent (15%) of gross income as defined herein, after the following conditions have been satisfied:

- (A) Tax on Resident Foreign Corporations. - (1) In General. - Except as otherwise provided in this Code, a corporation organized, authorized, or existing under the laws of any foreign country, engaged in trade or business within the Philippines, shall be subject to an income tax equivalent to thirty-five percent (35%) of the taxable income derived in the preceding taxable year from all sources within the Philippines: provided, That effective January 1, 1998, the rate of income tax shall be thirty-four percent (34%); effective January 1, 1999, the rate shall be thirty-three percent (33%), and effective January 1, 2000 and thereafter, the rate shall be thirty-two percent (32%). In the case of corporations adopting the fiscal-year accounting period, the taxable income shall be computed without regard to the specific date when sales, purchases and other transactions occur. Their income and expenses for the fiscal year shall be deemed to have been earned and spent equally for each month of the period. The reduced corporate income tax rates shall be applied on the amount computed by multiplying the number of months covered by the new rates within the fiscal year by the taxable income of the corporation for the period, divided by twelve. Provided, however, That a resident foreign corporation shall be granted the option to be taxed at fifteen percent (15%) on gross income under the same conditions, as provided in Section 27 (A).

- (A) In General. - In addition to other taxes imposed by this Title, there is hereby imposed for each taxable year on the improperly accumulated taxable income of each corporation described in Subsection B hereof, an improperly accumulated earnings tax equal to ten percent (10%) of the improperly accumulated taxable income.

- The following organizations shall not be taxed under this Title in respect to income received by them as such:

- The term taxable income means the pertinent items of gross income specified in this Code, less the deductions and/or personal and additional exemptions, if any, authorized for such types of income by this Code or other special laws. CHAPTER VI - COMPUTATION OF GROSS INCOME

- (A) General Definition. - Except when otherwise provided in this Title, gross income means all income derived from whatever source, including (but not limited to) the following items:

- (A) Imposition of Tax. - A final tax of thirty-four percent (34%) effective January 1, 1998; thirty-three percent (33%) effective January 1, 1999; and thirty-two percent (32%) effective January 1, 2000 and thereafter, is hereby imposed on the grossed-up monetary value of fringe benefit furnished or granted to the employee (except rank and file employees as defined herein) by the employer, whether an individual or a corporation (unless the fringe benefit is required by the nature of, or necessary to the trade, business or profession of the employer, or when the fringe benefit is for the convenience or advantage of the employer). The tax herein imposed is payable by the employer which tax shall be paid in the same manner as provided for under Section 57 (A) of this Code. The grossed-up monetary value of the fringe benefit shall be determined by dividing the actual monetary value of the fringe benefit by sixty-six percent (66%) effective January 1, 1998; sixty-seven percent (67%) effective January 1, 1999; and sixty-eight percent (68%) effective January 1, 2000 and thereafter: Provided, however, That fringe benefit furnished to employees and taxable under Subsections (B), (C), (D) and (E) of Section 25 shall be taxed at the applicable rates imposed thereat: Provided, further, That the grossed -Up value of the fringe benefit shall be determined by dividing the actual monetary value of the fringe benefit by the difference between one hundred percent (100%) and the applicable rates of income tax under Subsections (B), (C), (D), and (E) of Section 25.

- Except for taxpayers earning compensation income arising from personal services rendered under an employer-employee relationship where no deductions shall be allowed under this Section other than under subsection (M) hereof, in computing taxable income subject to income tax under Sections 24 (A); 25 (A); 26; 27 (A), (B) and (C); and 28 (A) (1), there shall be allowed the following deductions from gross income;

- (A) In General. - For purposes of determining the tax provided in Section 24 (A) of this Title, there shall be allowed a basic personal exemption as follows: | For single individual or married individual judicially decreed as legally separated with no qualified dependents | P20,000 | | --- | --- | | For Head of Family | P25,000 | | For each married individual | P32,000 | In the case of married individuals where only one of the spouses is deriving gross income, only such spouse shall be allowed the personal exemption. For purposes of this paragraph, the term 'head of family' means an unmarried or legally separated man or woman with one or both parents, or with one or more brothers or sisters, or with one or more legitimate, recognized natural or legally adopted children living with and dependent upon him for their chief support, where such brothers or sisters or children are not more than twenty-one (21) years of age, unmarried and not gainfully employed or where such children, brothers or sisters, regardless of age are incapable of self-support because of mental or physical defect.

- (A) General Rule. - In computing net income, no deduction shall in any case be allowed in respect to - (1) Personal, living or family expenses;

Special Provisions Regarding Income and Deductions of Insurance Companies, Whether Domestic or Foreign. - (A) Special Deduction Allowed to Insurance Companies. - In the case of insurance companies, whether domestic or foreign doing business in the Philippines, the net additions, if any, required by law to be made within the year to reserve funds and the sums other than dividends paid within the year on policy and annuity contracts may be deducted from their gross income: Provided, however, That the released reserve be treated as income for the year of release.

- (A) In the case of any loss claimed to have been sustained from any sale or other disposition of shares of stock or securities where it appears that within a period beginning thirty (30) days before the date of such sale or disposition and ending thirty (30) days after such date, the taxpayer has acquired (by purchase or by exchange upon which the entire amount of gain or loss was recognized by law), or has entered into a contact or option so to acquire, substantially identical stock or securities, then no deduction for the loss shall be allowed under Section 34 unless the claim is made by a dealer in stock or securities and with respect to a transaction made in the ordinary course of the business of such dealer.

- (A) Definitions. - As used in this Title - (1) Capital Assets. - the term 'capital assets' means property held by the taxpayer (whether or not connected with his trade or business), but does not include stock in trade of the taxpayer or other property of a kind which would properly be included in the inventory of the taxpayer if on hand at the close of the taxable year, or property held by the taxpayer primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of his trade or business, or property used in the trade or business, of a character which is subject to the allowance for depreciation provided in Subsection (F) of Section 34; or real property used in trade or business of the taxpayer.

- (A) Computation of Gain or Loss. - The gain from the sale or other disposition of property shall be the excess of the amount realized therefrom over the basis or adjusted basis for determining gain, and the loss shall be the excess of the basis or adjusted basis for determining loss over the amount realized. The amount realized from the sale or other disposition of property shall be the sum of money received plus the fair market value of the property (other than money) received;

- whenever in the judgment of the Commissioner, the use of inventories is necessary in order to determine clearly the income of any taxpayer, inventories shall be taken by such taxpayer upon such basis as the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, may, by rules and regulations, prescribe as conforming as nearly as may be to the best accounting practice in the trade or business and as most clearly reflecting the income. If a taxpayer, after having complied with the terms and a conditions prescribed by the Commissioner, uses a particular method of valuing its inventory for any taxable year, then such method shall be used in all subsequent taxable years unless:

- (A) Gross Income From Sources Within the Philippines. - The following items of gross income shall be treated as gross income from sources within the Philippines:

- The taxable income shall be computed upon the basis of the taxpayer's annual accounting period (fiscal year or calendar year, as the case may be) in accordance with the method of accounting regularly employed in keeping the books of such taxpayer, but if no such method of accounting has been so employed, or if the method employed does not clearly reflect the income, the computation shall be made in accordance with such method as in the opinion of the Commissioner clearly reflects the income. If the taxpayer's annual accounting period is other than a fiscal year, as defined in Section 22(Q), or if the taxpayer has no annual accounting period, or does not keep books, or if the taxpayer is an individual, the taxable income shall be computed on the basis of the calendar year.

- The amount of all items of gross income shall be included in the gross income for the taxable year in which received by the taxpayer, unless, under methods of accounting permitted under Section 43, any such amounts are to be properly accounted for as of a different period. In the case of the death of a taxpayer, there shall be included in computing taxable income for the taxable period in which falls the date of his death, amounts accrued up to the date of his death if not otherwise properly includible in respect of such period or a prior period.

- The deductions provided for in this Title shall be taken for the taxable year in which 'paid or accrued' or 'paid or incurred', dependent upon the method of accounting the basis of which the net income is computed, unless in order to clearly reflect the income, the deductions should be taken as of a different period. In the case of the death of a taxpayer, there shall be allowed as deductions for the taxable period in which falls the date of his death, amounts accrued up to the date of his death if not otherwise properly allowable in respect of such period or a prior period.

If a taxpayer, other than an individual, changes his accounting period from fiscal year to calendar year, from calendar year to fiscal year, or from one fiscal year to another, the net income shall, with the approval of the Commissioner, be computed on the basis of such new accounting period, subject to the provisions of Section 47.

- Income from long-term contracts shall be reported for tax purposes in the manner as provided in this Section. As used herein, the term 'long-term contracts' means building, installation or construction contracts covering a period in excess of one (1) year. Persons whose gross income is derived in whole or in part from such contracts shall report such income upon the basis of percentage of completion. The return should be accompanied by a return certificate of architects or engineers showing the percentage of completion during the taxable year of the entire work performed under contract. There should be deducted from such gross income all expenditures made during the taxable year on account of the contract, account being taken of the material and supplies on hand at the beginning and end of the taxable period for use in connection with the work under the contract but not yet so applied. If upon completion of a contract, it is found that the taxable net income arising thereunder has not been clearly reflected for any year or years, the Commissioner may permit or require an amended return.

- (A) Sales of Dealers in Personal Property. - Under rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, a person who regularly sells or otherwise disposes of personal property on the installment plan may return as income therefrom in any taxable year that proportion of the installment payments actually received in that year, which the gross profit realized or to be realized when payment is completed, bears to the total contract price.

- In the case of two or more organizations, trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated and whether or not organized in the Philippines) owned or controlled directly or indirectly by the same interests, the Commissioner is authorized to distribute, apportion or allocate gross income or deductions between or among such organization, trade or business, if he determined that such distribution, apportionment or allocation is necessary in order to prevent evasion of taxes or clearly to reflect the income of any such organization, trade or business. CHAPTER IX - RETURNS AND PAYMENT OF TAX

- (A) Requirements. - (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this Subsection, the following individuals are required to file an income tax return:

- (A) Requirements. - Every corporation subject to the tax herein imposed, except foreign corporations not engaged in trade or business in the Philippines, shall render, in duplicate, a true and accurate quarterly income tax return and final or adjustment return in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XII of this Title. The return shall be filed by the president, vice-president or other principal officer, and shall be sworn to by such officer and by the treasurer or assistant treasurer.

- The Commissioner may, in meritorious cases, grant a reasonable extension of time for filing returns of income (or final and adjustment returns in case of corporations), subject to the provisions of Section 56 of this Code.

- In cases wherein receivers, trustees in bankruptcy or assignees are operating the property or business of a corporation, subject to the tax imposed by this Title, such receivers, trustees or assignees shall make returns of net income as and for such corporation, in the same manner and form as such organization is hereinbefore required to make returns, and any tax due on the income as returned by receivers, trustees or assignees shall be assessed and collected in the same manner as if assessed directly against the organizations of whose businesses or properties they have custody or control.

- Every general professional partnership shall file, in duplicate, a return of its income, except income exempt under Section 32 (B) of this Title, setting forth the items of gross income and of deductions allowed by this Title, and the names, Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN), addresses and shares of each of the partners.

- (A) Payment of Tax. - (1) In General. - The total amount of tax imposed by this Title shall be paid by the person subject thereto at the time the return is filed. In the case of tramp vessels, the shipping agents and/or the husbanding agents, and in their absence, the captains thereof are required to file the return herein provided and pay the tax due thereon before their departure. Upon failure of the said agents or captains to file the return and pay the tax, the Bureau of Customs is hereby authorized to hold the vessel and prevent its departure until proof of payment of the tax is presented or a sufficient bond is filed to answer for the tax due.

- (A) Withholding of Final Tax on Certain Incomes. - Subject to rules and regulations the Secretary of Finance may promulgate, upon the recommendation of the Commissioner, requiring the filing of income tax return by certain income payees, the tax imposed or prescribed by Sections 24(B)(1), 24(B)(2), 24(C), 24(D)(1); 25(A)(2), 25(A)(3), 25(B), 25(C), 25(D), 25(E), 27(D)(!), 27(D)(2), 27(D)(3), 27(D)(5), 28 (A)(4), 28(A)(5), 28(A)(7)(a), 28(A)(7)(b), 28(A)(7)(c), 28(B)(1), 28(B)(2), 28(B)(3), 28(B)(4), 28(B)(5)(a), 28(B)(5)(b), 28(B)(5)(c); 33; and 282 of this Code on specified items of income shall be withheld by payor-corporation and/or person and paid in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as provided in Section 58 of this Code.

- (A) Quarterly Returns and Payments of Taxes Withheld. - Taxes deducted and withheld under Section 57 by withholding agents shall be covered by a return and paid to, except in cases where the Commissioner otherwise permits, an authorized Treasurer of the city or municipality where the withholding agent has his legal residence or principal place of business, or where the withholding agent is a corporation, where the principal office is located. The taxes deducted and withheld by the withholding agent shall be held as a special fund in trust for the government until paid to the collecting officers. The return for final withholding tax shall be filed and the payment made within twenty-five (25) days from the close of each calendar quarter, while the return for creditable withholding taxes shall be filed and the payment made not later than the last day of the month following the close of the quarter during which withholding was made: Provided, That the Commissioner, with the approval of the Secretary of Finance, may require these withholding agents to pay or deposit the taxes deducted or withheld at more frequent intervals when necessary to protect the interest of the government.

- The tax imposed under this Title upon gains, profits, and income not falling under the foregoing and not returned and paid by virtue of the foregoing or as otherwise provided by law shall be assessed by personal return under rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner. The intent and purpose of the Title is that all gains, profits and income of a taxable class, as defined in this Title, shall be charged and assessed with the corresponding tax prescribed by this Title, and said tax shall be paid by the owners of such gains, profits and income, or the proper person having the receipt, custody, control or disposal of the same. For purposes of this Title, ownership of such gains, profits and income or liability to pay the tax shall be determined as of the year for which a return is required to be rendered. CHAPTER X - ESTATES AND TRUSTS

- (A) Application of Tax. - The tax imposed by this Title upon individuals shall apply to the income of estates or of any kind of property held in trust, including:

- The taxable income of the estate or trust shall be computed in the same manner and on the same basis as in the case of an individual, except that:

- For the purpose of the tax provided for in this Title, there shall be allowed an exemption of Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) from the income of the estate or trust.

- Where at any time the power to revest in the grantor title to any part of the corpus of the trust is vested (1) in the grantor either alone or in conjunction with any person not having a substantial adverse interest in the disposition of such part of the corpus or the income therefrom, or (2) in any person not having a substantial adverse interest in the disposition of such part of the corpus or the income therefrom, the income of such part of the trust shall be included in computing the taxable income of the grantor.

- (A) Where any part of the income of a trust (1) is, or in the discretion of the grantor or of any person not having a substantial adverse interest in the disposition of such part of the income may be held or accumulated for future distribution to the grantor, or (2) may, or in the discretion of the grantor or of any person not having a substantial adverse interest in the disposition of such part of the income, be distributed to the grantor, or (3) is, or in the discretion of the grantor or of any person not having a substantial adverse interest in the disposition of such part of the income may be applied to the payment of premiums upon policies of insurance on the life of the grantor, such part of the income of the trust shall be included in computing the taxable income of the grantor.

- Guardians, trustees, executors, administrators, receivers, conservators and all persons or corporations, acting in any fiduciary capacity, shall render, in duplicate, a return of the income of the person, trust or estate for whom or which they act, and be subject to all the provisions of this Title, which apply to individuals in case such person, estate or trust has a gross income of Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) or over during the taxable year. Such fiduciary or person filing the return for him or it, shall take oath that he has sufficient knowledge of the affairs of such person, trust or estate to enable him to make such return and that the same is, to the best of his knowledge and belief, true and correct, and be subject to all the provisions of this Title which apply to individuals: Provided, That a return made by or for one or two or more joint fiduciaries filed in the province where such fiduciaries reside; under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, shall prescribe, shall be a sufficient compliance with the requirements of this Section.

- Trustees, executors, administrators and other fiduciaries are indemnified against the claims or demands of every beneficiary for all payments of taxes which they shall be required to make under the provisions of this Title, and they shall have credit for the amount of such payments against the beneficiary or principal in any accounting which they make as such trustees or other fiduciaries. CHAPTER XI - OTHER INCOME TAX REQUIREMENTS

- All persons, corporations, duly registered general co-partnerships (companias colectivas) undertaking for profit or otherwise the collection of foreign payments of interests or dividends by means of coupons, checks or bills of exchange shall obtain a license from the Commissioner, and shall be subject to such rules and regulations enabling the government to obtain the information required under this Title, as the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, shall prescribe.

- all persons, corporations or duly registered co- partnerships (companias colectivas), in whatever capacity acting, including lessees or mortgagors of real or personal property, trustees, acting in any trust capacity, executors, administrators, receivers, conservators and employees making payment to another person, corporation or duly registered general co-partnership (compania colectiva), of interests, rents, salaries, wages, premiums, annuities, compensations, remunerations, emoluments or other fixed or determinable gains, profits and income, other than payment described in Section 69, in any taxable year, or in the case of such payments made by the Government of the Philippines, the officers or employees of the Government having information as to such payments and required to make returns in regard thereto, are authorized and required to render a true and accurate return to the Commissioner, under such rules and regulations, and in such form and manner as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, setting forth the amount of such gains, profits and income and the name and address of the recipient of such payments: Provided, That such returns shall be required, in the case of payments of interest upon bonds and mortgages or deeds of trust or other similar obligations of corporations, and in the case of collections of items, not payable in the Philippines, of interest upon the bonds of foreign countries and interest from the bonds and dividends from the stock of foreign corporations by persons, corporations or duly registered general co-partnerships (companias colectivas), undertaking as a matter of business or for profit or otherwise the collection of foreign payments of such interests or dividends by means of coupons or bills of exchange.

- Every person, corporation or duly registered general co-partnership (compania colectiva), doing business as a broker in any exchange or board or other similar place of business, shall, when required by the Commissioner, render a correct return duly verified under oath under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, may prescribe, showing the names of customers for whom such person, corporation or duly registered general co-partnership (compania colectiva) has transacted any business, with such details as to the profits, losses or other information which the Commissioner, may require as to each of such customers as will enable the Commissioner to determine whether all income tax due on profits or gains of such customers has been paid.

- (A) Requirements. - Under rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of finance, upon the recommendation of the Commissioner, any attorney, accountant, fiduciary, bank, trust company, financial institution or other person, who aids, assists, counsels or advises in, o with respect to; the formation, organization or reorganization of any foreign corporation, shall, within thirty (30) days thereafter, file with the Commissioner a return.

- After the assessment shall have been made, as provided in this Title, the returns, together with any corrections thereof which may have been made by the Commissioner, shall be filed in the Office of the Commissioner and shall constitute public records and be open to inspection as such upon the order of the President of the Philippines, under rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner. The Commissioner may, in each year, cause to be prepared and published in any newspaper the lists containing the names and addresses of persons who have filed income tax returns.

- When an assessment is made in case of any list, statement or return, which in the opinion of the Commissioner was false or fraudulent or contained any understatement or undervaluation, no tax collected under such assessment shall be recovered by any suit, unless it is proved that the said list, statement or return was not false nor fraudulent and did not contain any understatement or undervaluation; but this provision shall not apply to statements or returns made or to be made in good faith regarding annual depreciation of oil or gas wells and mines.

- (A) Definition of Dividends. - The term 'dividends' when used in this Title means any distribution made by a corporation to its shareholders out of its earnings or profits and payable to its shareholders, whether in money or in other property. Where a corporation distributes all of its assets in complete liquidation or dissolution, the gain realized or loss sustained by the stockholder, whether individual or corporate, is a taxable income or a deductible loss, as the case may be.

- (A) In General. - Except as otherwise provided in this Section, every individual subject to income tax under Sections 24 and 25(A) of this Title, who is receiving self-employment income, whether it constitutes the sole source of his income or in combination with salaries, wages and other fixed or determinable income, shall make and file a declaration of his estimated income for the current taxable year on or before April 15 of the same taxable year. In general, self-employment income consists of the earnings derived by the individual from the practice of profession or conduct of trade or business carried on by him as a sole proprietor or by a partnership of which he is a member. Nonresident Filipino citizens, with respect to income from without the Philippines, and nonresident aliens not engaged in trade or business in the Philippines, are not required to render a declaration of estimated income tax. The declaration shall contain such pertinent information as the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, may, by rules and regulations prescribe. An individual may make amendments of a declaration filed during the taxable year under the rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner.

- Every corporation shall file in duplicate a quarterly summary declaration of its gross income and deductions on a cumulative basis for the preceding quarter or quarters upon which the income tax, as provided in Title II of this Code, shall be levied, collected and paid. The tax so computed shall be decreased by the amount of tax previously paid or assessed during the preceding quarters and shall be paid not later than sixty (60) days from the close of each of the first three (3) quarters of the taxable year, whether calendar or fiscal year.

- Every corporation liable to tax under Section 27 shall file a final adjustment return covering the total taxable income for the preceding calendar or fiscal year. If the sum of the quarterly tax payments made during the said taxable year is not equal to the total tax due on the entire taxable income of that year, the corporation shall either: (A)Pay the balance of tax still due; or (B)Carry-over the excess credit; or (C)Be credited or refunded with the excess amount paid, as the case may be. In case the corporation is entitled to a tax credit or refund of the excess estimated quarterly income taxes paid, the excess amount shown on its final adjustment return may be carried over and credited against the estimated quarterly income tax liabilities for the taxable quarters of the succeeding taxable years. Once the option to carry-over and apply the excess quarterly income tax against income tax due for the taxable quarters of the succeeding taxable years has been made, such option shall be considered irrevocable for that taxable period and no application for cash refund or issuance of a tax credit certificate shall be allowed therefor.

- (A) Place of Filing. -Except as the Commissioner other wise permits, the quarterly income tax declaration required in Section 75 and the final adjustment return required I Section 76 shall be filed with the authorized agent banks or Revenue District Officer or Collection Agent or duly authorized Treasurer of the city or municipality having jurisdiction over the location of the principal office of the corporation filing the return or place where its main books of accounts and other data from which the return is prepared are kept.

- As used in this Chapter:

- (A) Requirement of Withholding. - Every employer making payment of wages shall deduct and withhold upon such wages a tax determined in accordance with the rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner: Provided, however, That no withholding of a tax shall be required where the total compensation income of an individual does not exceed the statutory minimum wage, or five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) per month, whichever is higher.

- (A) Employer. - The employer shall be liable for the withholding and remittance of the correct amount of tax required to be deducted and withheld under this Chapter. If the employer fails to withhold and remit the correct amount of tax as required to be withheld under the provision of this Chapter, such tax shall be collected from the employer together with the penalties or additions to the tax otherwise applicable in respect to such failure to withhold and remit.

- Except as the Commissioner otherwise permits, taxes deducted and withheld by the employer on wages of employees shall be covered by a return and paid to an authorized agent bank; Collection Agent, or the duly authorized Treasurer of the city or municipality where the employer has his legal residence or principal place of business, or in case the employer is a corporation, where the principal office is located. The return shall be filed and the payment made within twenty-five (25) days from the close of each calendar quarter: Provided, however, That the Commissioner may, with the approval of the Secretary of Finance, require the employers to pay or deposit the taxes deducted and withheld at more frequent intervals, in cases where such requirement is deemed necessary to protect the interest of the Government. The taxes deducted and withheld by employers shall be held in a special fund in trust for the Government until the same are paid to the said collecting officers.

- If the employer is the Government of the Philippines or any political subdivision, agency or instrumentality thereof, the return of the amount deducted and withheld upon any wage shall be made by the officer or employee having control of the payment of such wage, or by any officer or employee duly designated for the purpose.

- (A) Requirements. - Every employer required to deduct and withhold a tax shall furnish to each such employee in respect of his employment during the calendar year, on or before January thirty-first (31st) of the succeeding year, or if his employment is terminated before the close of such calendar year, on the same day of which the last payment of wages is made, a written statement confirming the wages paid by the employer to such employee during the calendar year, and the amount of tax deducted and withheld under this Chapter in respect of such wages. The statement required to be furnished by this Section in respect of any wage shall contain such other information, and shall be furnished at such other time and in such form as the Secretary of Finance, upon the recommendation of the Commissioner, may, by rules and regulation, prescribe.

There shall be levied, assessed, collected and paid upon the transfer of the net estate as determined in accordance with Sections 85 and 86 of every decedent, whether resident or nonresident of the Philippines, a tax based on the value of such net estate, as computed in accordance with the following schedule: If the net estate is: | Over | But Not Over | The Tax shall be | Plus | Of the Excess Over | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | P 200,000 | Exempt | | | | P 200,000 | 550,000 | 0 | 5% | P 200,000 | | 500,000 | 2,000,000 | P 15,000 | 8% | 500,000 | | 2,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 135,000 | 11% | 2,000,000 | | 5,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 465,000 | 15% | 5,000,000 | | 10,000,000 | And Over | 1,215,000 | 20% | 10,000,000 |

- the value of the gross estate of the decedent shall be determined by including the value at the time of his death of all property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, wherever situated: Provided, however, that in the case of a nonresident decedent who at the time of his death was not a citizen of the Philippines, only that part of the entire gross estate which is situated in the Philippines shall be included in his taxable estate.

- For the purpose of the tax imposed in this Chapter, the value of the net estate shall be determined:

- The following shall not be taxed:

- (A) Usufruct. - To determine the value of the right of usufruct, use or habitation, as well as that of annuity, there shall be taken into account the probable life of the beneficiary in accordance with the latest Basic Standard Mortality Table, to be approved by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Insurance Commissioner.

- In all cases of transfers subject to tax, or where, though exempt from tax, the gross value of the estate exceeds Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000), the executor, administrator or any of the legal heirs, as the case may be, within two (2) months after the decedent's death, or within a like period after qualifying as such executor or administrator, shall give a written notice thereof to the Commissioner.

- (A) Requirements. - In all cases of transfers subject to the tax imposed herein, or where, though exempt from tax, the gross value of the estate exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000), or regardless of the gross value of the estate, where the said estate consists of registered or registrable property such as real property, motor vehicle, shares of stock or other similar property for which a clearance from the Bureau of Internal Revenue is required as a condition precedent for the transfer of ownership thereof in the name of the transferee, the executor, or the administrator, or any of the legal heirs, as the case may be, shall file a return under oath in duplicate, setting forth:

- (A) Time of Payment. - The estate tax imposed by Section 84 shall be paid at the time the return is filed by the executor, administrator or the heirs.

- If the executor or administrator makes a written application to the Commissioner for determination of the amount of the estate tax and discharge from personal liability therefore, the Commissioner (as soon as possible, and in any event within one (1) year after the making of such application, or if the application is made before the return is filed, then within one (1) year after the return is filed, but not after the expiration of the period prescribed for the assessment of the tax in Section 203 shall not notify the executor or administrator of the amount of the tax. The executor or administrator, upon payment of the amount of which he is notified, shall be discharged from personal liability for any deficiency in the tax thereafter found to be due and shall be entitled to a receipt or writing showing such discharge.

- As used in this Chapter, the term 'deficiency' means:

- No judge shall authorize the executor or judicial administrator to deliver a distributive share to any party interested in the estate unless a certification from the Commissioner that the estate tax has been paid is shown.

- Registers of Deeds shall not register in the Registry of Property any document transferring real property or real rights therein or any chattel mortgage, by way of gifts inter vivos or mortis causa, legacy or inheritance, unless a certification from the Commissioner that the tax fixed in this Title and actually due thereon had been paid is show, and they shall immediately notify the Commissioner, Regional Director, Revenue District Officer, or Revenue Collection Officer or Treasurer of the city or municipality where their offices are located, of the non payment of the tax discovered by them. Any lawyer, notary public, or any government officer who, by reason of his official duties, intervenes in the preparation or acknowledgment of documents regarding partition or disposal of donation intervivos or mortis causa, legacy or inheritance, shall have the duty of furnishing the Commissioner, Regional Director, Revenue District Officer or Revenue Collection Officer of the place where he may have his principal office, with copies of such documents and any information whatsoever which may facilitate the collection of the aforementioned tax. Neither shall a debtor of the deceased pay his debts to the heirs, legatee, executor or administrator of his creditor, unless the certification of the Commissioner that the tax fixed in this Chapter had been paid is shown; but he may pay the executor or judicial administrator without said certification if the credit is included in the inventory of the estate of the deceased.

- If after the payment of the estate tax, new obligations of the decedent shall appear, and the persons interested shall have satisfied them by order of the court, they shall have a right to the restitution of the proportional part of the tax paid.

- There shall not be transferred to any new owner in the books of any corporation, sociedad anonima, partnership, business, or industry organized or established in the Philippines any share, obligation, bond or right by way of gift inter vivos or mortis causa, legacy or inheritance, unless a certification from the Commissioner that the taxes fixed in this Title and due thereon have been paid is shown. If a bank has knowledge of the death of a person, who maintained a bank deposit account alone, or jointly with another, it shall not allow any withdrawal from the said deposit account, unless the Commissioner has certified that the taxes imposed thereon by this Title have been paid: Provided, however, That the administrator of the estate or any one (1) of the heirs of the decedent may, upon authorization by the Commissioner, withdraw an amount not exceeding Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) without the said certification. For this purpose, all withdrawal slips shall contain a statement to the effect that all of the joint depositors are still living at the time of withdrawal by any one of the joint depositors and such statement shall be under oath by the said depositors. CHAPTER II - DONOR'S TAX

- (A) There shall be levied, assessed, collected and paid upon the transfer by any person, resident or nonresident, of the property by gift, a tax, computed as provided in Section 99.

- (A) In General. - The tax for each calendar year shall be computed on the basis of the total net gifts made during the calendar year in accordance with the following schedule: If the net gift is: | Over | But Not Over | The Tax shall be | Plus | Of the Excess Over | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | P 100,000 | Exempt | | | | P 100,000 | 200,000 | 0 | 2% | P100,000 | | 200,000 | 500,000 | 2,000 | 4% | 200,000 | | 500,000 | 1,000,000 | 14,000 | 6% | 500,000 | | 1,000,000 | 3,000,000 | 44,000 | 8% | 1,000,000 | | 3,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 204,000 | 10% | 3,000,000 | | 5,000,000 | 10,000,000 | 404,000 | 12% | 5,000,000 | | 10,000,000 | | 1,004,000 | 15% | 10,000,000 | (B) Tax Payable by Donor if Donee is a Stranger. - When the donee or beneficiary is stranger, the tax payable by the donor shall be thirty percent (30%) of the net gifts. For the purpose of this tax, a 'stranger,' is a person who is not a:

- Where property, other than real property referred to in Section 24(D), is transferred for less than an adequate and full consideration in money or money's worth, then the amount by which the fair market value of the property exceeded the value of the consideration shall, for the purpose of the tax imposed by this Chapter, be deemed a gift, and shall be included in computing the amount of gifts made during the calendar year.

- The following gifts or donations shall be exempt from the tax provided for in this Chapter:

- If the gift is made in property, the fair market value thereof at the time of the gift shall be considered the amount of the gift. In case of real property, the provisions of Section 88(B) shall apply to the valuation thereof.

- (A) Requirements. - any individual who makes any transfer by gift (except those which, under Section 101, are exempt from the tax provided for in this Chapter) shall, for the purpose of the said tax, make a return under oath in duplicate. The return shall se forth:

- For purposes of this Title, the terms 'gross estate' and 'gifts' include real and personal property, whether tangible or intangible, or mixed, wherever situated: Provided, however, That where the decedent or donor was a nonresident alien at the time of his death or donation, as the case may be, his real and personal property so transferred but which are situated outside the Philippines shall not be included as part of his 'gross estate' or 'gross gift': Provided, further, That franchise which must be exercised in the Philippines; shares, obligations or bonds issued by any corporation or sociedad anonima organized or constituted in the Philippines in accordance with its laws; shares, obligations or bonds by any foreign corporation eighty-five percent (85%) of the business of which is located in the Philippines; shares, obligations or bonds issued by any foreign corporation if such shares, obligations or bonds have acquired a business situs in the Philippines; shares or rights in any partnership, business or industry established in the Philippines, shall be considered as situated in the Philippines: Provided, still further, that no tax shall be collected under this Title in respect of intangible personal property:

- Any person who, in the course of trade or business, sells barters, exchanges, leases goods or properties, renders services, and any person who imports goods shall be subject to the value-added tax (VAT) imposed in Sections 106 to 108 of this Code. The value-added tax is an indirect tax and the amount of tax may be shifted or passed on to the buyer, transferee or lessee of the goods, properties or services. This rule shall likewise apply to existing contracts of sale or lease of goods, properties or services at the time of the effectivity of Republic Act No. 7716. The phrase 'in the course of trade or business' means the regular conduct or pursuit of a commercial or an economic activity, including transactions incidental thereto, by any person regardless of whether or not the person engaged therein is a nonstock, nonprofit private organization (irrespective of the disposition of its net income and whether or not it sells exclusively to members or their guests), or government entity. The rule of regularity, to the contrary notwithstanding, services as defined in this Code rendered in the Philippines by nonresident foreign persons shall be considered as being course of trade or business.

- (A) Rate and Base of Tax. - There shall be levied, assessed and collected on every sale, barter or exchange of goods or properties, value-added tax equivalent to ten percent (10%) of the gross selling price or gross value in money of the goods or properties sold, bartered or exchanged, such tax to be paid by the seller or transferor.

- (A) In General. - There shall be levied, assessed and collected on every importation of goods a value-added tax equivalent to ten percent (10%) based on the total value used by the Bureau of Customs in determining tariff and customs duties plus customs duties, excise taxes, if any, and other charges, such tax to be paid by the importer prior to the release of such goods from customs custody: Provided, That where the customs duties are determined on the basis of the quantity or volume of the goods, the value-added tax shall be based on the landed cost plus excise taxes, If any.

- (A) Rate and Base of Tax. - There shall be levied, assessed and collected, a value-added tax equivalent to ten percent (10%) of gross receipts derived from the sale or exchange of services, including the use or lease of properties. The phrase 'sale or exchange of services' means the performance of all kinds or services in the Philippines for others for a fee, remuneration or consideration, including those performed or rendered by construction and service contractors; stock, real estate, commercial, customs and immigration brokers; lessors of property, whether personal or real; warehousing services; lessors or distributors of cinematographic films; persons engaged in milling processing, manufacturing or repacking goods for others; proprietors, operators or keepers of hotels, motels, resthouses, pension houses, inns, resorts; proprietors or operators of restaurants, refreshment parlors, cafes and other eating places, including clubs and caterers; dealers in securities; lending investors; transportation contractors on their transport of goods or cargoes, including persons who transport goods or cargoes for hire another domestic common carriers by land, air and water relative to their transport of goods or cargoes; services of franchise grantees of telephone and telegraph, radio and television broadcasting and all other franchise grantees except those under Section 119 of this Code; services of banks, non-bank financial intermediaries and finance companies; and non-life insurance companies (except their crop insurances), including surety, fidelity, indemnity and bonding companies; and similar services regardless of whether or not the performance thereof calls for the exercise or use of the physical or mental faculties. The phrase 'sale or exchange of services' shall likewise include:

- The following shall be exempt from the value-added tax:

- A. Creditable Input Tax. - (1) Any input tax evidenced by a VAT invoice or official receipt issued in accordance with Section 113 hereof on the following transactions shall be creditable against the output tax:

- (A) Transitional Input Tax Credits. - A person who becomes liable to value-added tax or any person who elects to be a VAT-registered person shall, subject to the filing of an inventory according to rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, be allowed input tax on his beginning inventory of goods, materials and supplies equivalent for eight percent (8%) of the value of such inventory or the actual value-added tax paid on such goods, materials and supplies, whichever is higher, which shall be creditable against the output tax.

- (A) Zero-rated or Effectively Zero-rated Sales. - any VAT-registered person, whose sales are zero-rated or effectively zero-rated may, within two (2) years after the close of the taxable quarter when the sales were made, apply for the issuance of a tax credit certificate or refund of creditable input tax due or paid attributable to such sales, except transitional input tax, to the extent that such input tax has not been applied against output tax: Provided, however, That in the case of zero-rated sales under Section 106(A)(2)(a)(1), (2) and (B) and Section 108 (B)(1) and (2), the acceptable foreign currency exchange proceeds thereof had been duly accounted for in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP): Provided, further, That where the taxpayer is engaged in zero-rated or effectively zero-rated sale and also in taxable or exempt sale of goods of properties or services, and the amount of creditable input tax due or paid cannot be directly and entirely attributed to any one of the transactions, it shall be allocated proportionately on the basis of the volume of sales.

- (A) Invoicing Requirements. - A VAT-registered person shall, for every sale, issue an invoice or receipt. In addition to the information required under Section 237, the following information shall be indicated in the invoice or receipt:

- (A) In General. - Every person liable to pay the value-added tax imposed under this Title shall file a quarterly return of the amount of his gross sales or receipts within twenty-five (25) days following the close of each taxable quarter prescribed for each taxpayer: Provided, however, That VAT-registered persons shall pay the value-added tax on a monthly basis. Any person, whose registration has been cancelled in accordance with Section 236, shall file a return and pay the tax due thereon within twenty-five (25) days from the date of cancellation of registration: Provided, That only one consolidated return shall be filed by the taxpayer for his principal place of business or head office and all branches.

- The Commissioner or his authorized representative is hereby empowered to suspend the business operations and temporarily close the business establishment of any person for any of the following violations:

- Any person whose sales or receipts are exempt under Section 109(z) of this Code from the payment of value-added tax and who is not a VAT-registered person shall pay a tax equivalent to three percent (3%) of his gross quarterly sales or receipts: Provided, That cooperatives shall be exempt from the three percent (3%)gross receipts tax herein imposed.

- Cars for rent or hire driven by the lessee, transportation contractors, including persons who transport passengers for hire, and other domestic carriers by land, air or water, for the transport of passengers, except owners of bancas and owner of animal-drawn two wheeled vehicle, and keepers of garages shall pay a tax equivalent to three percent (3%) of their quarterly gross receipts. The gross receipts of common carriers derived from their incoming and outgoing freight shall not be subjected to the local taxes imposed under Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991. In computing the percentage tax provided in this Section, the following shall be considered the minimum quarterly gross receipts in each particular case: | Jeepney for hire - | | | --- | --- | | 1. Manila and other cities | P 2,400 | | 2. Provincial | 1,200 | | Public utility bus - | | | Not exceeding 30 passengers | 3,600 | | Exceeding 30 but not exceeding 50 passengers | 6,000 | | Exceeding 50 passengers | 7,200 | | Taxis - | | | 1. Manila and other cities | P 3,600 | | 2. Provincial | 2,400 | | Car for hire (with chauffer) | 3,000 | | Car for hire (without chauffer) | 1,800 |

- (A) International air carriers doing business in the Philippines shall pay a tax of three percent (3%) of their quarterly gross receipts.

- Any provision of general or special law to the contrary notwithstanding, there shall be levied, assessed and collected in respect to all franchises on radio and/or television broadcasting companies whose annual gross receipts of the preceding year does not exceed Ten million pesos (P10,000.00), subject to Section 236 of this Code, a tax of three percent (3%) and on electric, gas and water utilities, a tax of two percent (2%) on the gross receipts derived from the business covered by the law granting the franchise: Provided, however, That radio and television broadcasting companies referred to in this Section shall have an option to be registered as a value-added taxpayer and pay the tax due thereon: Provided, further, That once the option is exercised, it shall not be revoked. The grantee shall file the return with, and pay the tax due thereon to the Commissioner or his duly authorized representative, in accordance with the provisions of Section 128 of this Code, and the return shall be subject to audit by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, any provision of any existing law to the contrary notwithstanding.

- (A) Persons Liable. - There shall be collected upon every overseas dispatch, message or conversation transmitted from the Philippines by telephone, telegraph, telewriter exchange, wireless and other communication equipment service, a tax of ten percent (10%) on the amount paid for such services. The tax imposed in this Section shall be payable by the person paying for the services rendered and shall be paid to the person rendering the services who is required to collect and pay the tax within twenty (20) days after the end of each quarter.

- There shall be a collected tax on gross receipts derived from sources within the Philippines by all banks and non-bank financial intermediaries in accordance with the following schedule:

- There shall be collected a tax of five percent (5%) on the gross receipts derived by all finance companies, as well as by other financial intermediaries not performing quasi-banking functions dong business in the Philippines, from interest, discounts and all other items treated as gross income under this Code: Provided, That interests, commissions and discounts from lending activities, as well as income from financial leasing, shall be taxed on the basis of the remaining maturities of the instruments from which such receipts are derived, in accordance with the following schedule: Short-term maturity (non in excess of two (2) years) ............................... 5% Medium-term maturity (over two (2) years but not exceeding four (4) years) ................................................................. 3% Long-term maturity - (1) Over four (4) years but not exceeding seven (7) years ........... 1% (2) Over seven (7) years ..................................................................... 0% Provided, however, That in case the maturity period is shortened thru pretermination, then the maturity period shall be reckoned to end as of the date of pretermination for purposes of classifying the transaction as short, medium or long-term and the correct rate of tax shall be applied accordingly. Nothing in this Code shall preclude the Commissioner from imposing the same tax herein provided on persons performing similar financing activities.

- There shall be collected from every person, company or corporation (except purely cooperative companies or associations) doing life insurance business of any sort in the Philippines a tax of five percent (5%) of the total premium collected, whether such premiums are paid in money, notes, credits or any substitute for money; but premiums refunded within six (6) months after payment on account of rejection of risk or returned for other reason to a person insured shall not be included in the taxable receipts; nor shall any tax be paid upon reinsurance by a company that has already paid the tax; nor upon doing business outside the Philippines on account of any life insurance of the insured who is a nonresident, if any tax on such premium is imposed by the foreign country where the branch is established nor upon premiums collected or received on account of any reinsurance , if the insured, in case of personal insurance, resides outside the Philippines, if any tax on such premiums is imposed by the foreign country where the original insurance has been issued or perfected; nor upon that portion of the premiums collected or received by the insurance companies on variable contracts (as defined in section 232(2) of Presidential Decree No. 612), in excess of the amounts necessary to insure the lives of the variable contract workers. Cooperative companies or associations are such as are conducted by the members thereof with the money collected from among themselves and solely for their own protection and not for profit.

- Every fire, marine or miscellaneous insurance agent authorized under the Insurance Code to procure policies of insurance as he may have previously been legally authorized to transact on risks located in the Philippines for companies not authorized to transact business in the Philippines shall pay a tax equal to twice the tax imposed in Section 123: Provided, That the provision of this Section shall not apply to reinsurance: Provided, however, That the provisions of this Section shall not affect the right of an owner of property to apply for and obtain for himself policies in foreign companies in cases where said owner does not make use of the services of any agent, company or corporation residing or doing business in the Philippines. In all cases where owners of property obtain insurance directly with foreign companies, it shall be the duty of said owners to report to the Insurance Commissioner and to the Commissioner each case where insurance has been so effected, and shall pay the tax of five percent (5%) on premiums paid, in the manner required by Section 123.

- There shall be collected from the proprietor, lessee or operator of cockpits, cabarets, night or day clubs, boxing exhibitions, professional basketball games, Jai-Alai and racetracks, a tax equivalent to:

- Every person who wins in horse races shall pay a tax equivalent to ten percent (10%) of his winnings or 'dividends', the tax to be based on the actual amount paid to him for every winning ticket after deducting the cost of the ticket: Provided, That in the case of winnings from double, forecast/quinella and trifecta bets, the tax shall be four percent (4%). In the case of owners of winning race horses, the tax shall be ten percent (10%) of the prizes. The tax herein prescribed shall be deducted from the 'dividends' corresponding to each winning ticket or the 'prize' of each winning race horse owner and withheld by the operator, manager or person in charge of the horse races before paying the dividends or prizes to the persons entitled thereto. The operator, manager or person in charge of horse races shall, within twenty (20) days from the date the tax was deducted and withheld in accordance with the second paragraph hereof, file a true and correct return with the Commissioner in the manner or form to be prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, and pay within the same period the total amount of tax so deducted and withheld.

Tax on Sale, Barter or Exchange of Shares of Stock Listed and Traded through the Local Stock Exchange or through Initial Public Offering. - (A) Tax on Sale, Barter or Exchange of Shares of Stock Listed and Traded through the Local Stock Exchange. - There shall be levied, assessed and collected on every sale, barter, exchange, or other disposition of shares of stock listed and traded through the local stock exchange other than the sale by a dealer in securities, a tax at the rate of one-half of one percent (1/2 of 1%) of the gross selling price or gross value in money of the shares of stock sold, bartered, exchanged or otherwise disposed which shall be paid by the seller or transferor.

- (A) Returns of Gross Sales, Receipts or Earnings and Payment of Tax. - (1) Persons Liable to Pay Percentage Taxes. - Every person subject to the percentage taxes imposed under this Title shall file a quarterly return of the amount of his gross sales, receipts or earnings and pay the tax due thereon within twenty-five (25) days after the end of each taxable quarter: Provided, That in the case of a person whose VAT registration is cancelled and who becomes liable to the tax imposed in Section 116 of this Code, the tax shall accrue from the date of cancellation and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

- Excise taxes apply to goods manufactured or produced in the Philippines for domestic sales or consumption or for any other disposition and to things imported. The excise tax imposed herein shall be in addition to the value-added tax imposed under Title IV. For purposes of this Title, excise taxes herein imposed and based on weight or volume capacity or any other physical unit of measurement shall be referred to as 'specific tax' and an excise tax herein imposed and based on selling price or other specified value of the good shall be referred to as 'ad valorem tax.'

- (A) Persons Liable to File a Return, Filing of Return on Removal and Payment of Tax. - (1) Persons Liable to File a Return. - Every person liable to pay excise tax imposed under this Title shall file a separate return for each place of production setting forth, among others the description and quantity or volume of products to be removed, the applicable tax base and the amount of tax due thereon: Provided, however, That in the case of indigenous petroleum, natural gas or liquefied natural gas, the excise tax shall be paid by the first buyer, purchaser or transferee for local sale, barter or transfer, while the excise tax on exported products shall be paid by the owner, lessee, concessionaire or operator of the mining claim. Should domestic products be removed from the place of production without the payment of the tax, the owner or person having possession thereof shall be liable for the tax due thereon.

- (A) Persons Liable. - Excise taxes on imported articles shall be paid by the owner or importer to the Customs Officers, conformably with the regulations of the Department of Finance and before the release of such articles from the customshouse, or by the person who is found in possession of articles which are exempt from excise taxes other than those legally entitled to exemption. In the case of tax-free articles brought or imported into the Philippines by persons, entitles, or agencies exempt from tax which are subsequently sold, transferred or exchanged in the Philippines to non-exempt persons or entitles, the purchasers or recipients shall be considered the importers thereof, and shall be liable for the duty and internal revenue tax due on such importation. The provision of any special or general law to the contrary notwithstanding, the importation of cigars and cigarettes, distilled spirits and wines into the Philippines, even if destined for tax and duty free shops, shall be subject to all applicable taxes, duties, charges, including excise taxes due thereon: Provided, however, That this shall not apply to cigars and cigarettes, distilled spirits and wines brought directly into the duly chartered or legislated freeports of the Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, crated under Republic Act No. 7227; the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport, created under Republic Act No. 7922; and the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone, created under Republic Act No. 7903, and are not transshipped to any other port in the Philippines: Provided, further, That importations of cigars and cigarettes, distilled spirits and wines by a government-owned and operated duty-free shop, like the Duty-Free Philippines (DFP), shall be exempted from all applicable taxes, duties, charges, including excise tax due thereon: Provided, still further, That if such articles directly imported by a government-owned and operated duty-free shop like the Duty-Free Philippines, shall be labelled 'tax and duty-free' and 'not for resale': Provided, still further, That is such articles brought into the duly chartered or legislated freeports under Republic Acts No. 7227, 7922 and 7903 are subsequently introduced into the Philippine customs territory, then such articles shall, upon such introduction, be deemed imported into the Philippines and shall be subject to all imposts and excise taxes provided herein and other statutes: Provided, finally, That the removal and transfer of tax and duty-free goods, products, machinery, equipment and other similar articles, from one freeport to another freeport, shall not be deemed an introduction into the Philippine customs territory. Articles consfiscated shall be disposed of in accordance with the rules and regulations to be promulgated by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner of Customs and Internal Revenue, upon consultation with the Secretary of Tourism and the General manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority. The tax due on any such goods, products, machinery, equipment or other similar articles shall constitute a lien on the article itself, and such lien shall be superior to all other charges or liens, irrespective of the possessor thereof.