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NAPOCOR VS. CITY OF CABANATUAN FACTS: NAPOCOR, the petitioner, is a government-owed and controlled corporation tasked to undertake the development of hydroelectric generations of power and the production of electricity as well as, the transmission of electric power on a nationwide basis. NAPOCOR sells electric power to the residents of Cabanatuan City, posting a gross income of P107M in 1992. Pursuant to Sec. 37 of Ordinance No. 165-92, the respondent City of Cabanatuan assessed NAPOCOR a franchise tax amounting to P808K, representing 75% of 1% of the formers gross receipts for the preceding year. NAPOCOR refused to pay the tax assessment alleging that respondent City has no authority to impose tax on government entities, and that they are exempt from payment of all forms of taxes, charges and fees as it was a non-profit organization. Respondent City filed a collection suit demanding that NAPOCOR pay the assessed tax, plus surcharge and 2% monthly interest, alleging that petitioners exemption from local taxes has already been appealed by Sec. 193 of the LGC which basically states that tax exemption presently enjoyed by all persons are withdrawn. Trial court dismissed the case. CA reversed ISSUES: (1) Is NAPOCOR excluded from the coverage of the franchise tax simply because its stocks are wholly owned by the National Government and its charter characterized is as a non-profit organization? (2) Is the NAPOCORs exemption from all forms of taxes repealed by the provisions of the Local Government Code (LGC)? HELD: (1) NO. First, it is important to define franchise as used in the LGC. A franchise may refer to a general or primary franchise, or to a special or secondary franchise. The former relates to the right to exist as a corporation, by virtue of duly approved articles of incorporation, or a charter pursuant to a special law creating the corporation. The right under a primary or general franchise is vested in the individuals who compose the corporation and not in the corporation itself. On the other hand, the latter refers to the right or privileges conferred upon an existing corporation such as the right to use the streets of a municipality to lay pipes of tracks, erect poles or string wires.The rights under a secondary or special franchise are vested in the corporation. To stress, a franchise tax, as used in the LGC, is imposed based not on the ownership but on the exercise by the corporation of a privilege to do business. The taxable entity is the corporation which exercises the franchise, and not the individual stockholders. To determine whether the petitioner NAPOCOR is covered by the franchise tax in question, the following requisites should concur: (1) that petitioner has a "franchise" in a secondary sense; and (2) that it is exercising its rights or privileges under this franchise within the territory of the respondent city government. In this case, petitioner NAPOCOR fulfills the first requisite. CA 120, creating the NAPOCOR, serves as its charter defining its composition and vesting in it powers not available to ordinary corporations. It likewise fulfills the second requisite. From its operations in the City of Cabanatuan, petitioner realized a gross income of P107M in 1992. Fulfilling both requisites, petitioner is, and ought to be, subject of the franchise tax in question. The contention of petitioner that it is excluded from the coverage of franchise tax simply because its stocks are wholly owned by the National Government and its charter characterized it as a "nonprofit" organization must necessarily fail. By virtue of its charter, petitioner NAPOCOR was created as a separate and distinct entity from the National Government. It can sue and be sued under its own name, and can exercise all the powers of a corporation under the Corporation Code. To be sure, the ownership by the National Government of its entire capital stock does not necessarily imply that petitioner is not engaged in business. (2) YES. Petitioner's contention that its tax exemptions under its charter subsist despite the passage of the LGC is untenable. As a rule, rule, tax exemptions are construed strongly against the claimant. Exemptions must be shown to exist clearly and categorically, and supported by clear legal provisions.In the case at bar, the petitioner's sole refuge is section 13 of Rep. Act No. 6395 exempting from, among others, "all income taxes, franchise taxes and realty taxes to be paid to the National Government, its provinces, cities, municipalities and other government agencies and instrumentalities." However, by the passage of the LGC, the blanket exclusion of instrumentalities and agencies of the national government from the coverage of local taxation has been removed. In the case at bar, section 151 in relation to section 137 of the LGC clearly authorizes the respondent city government to impose on the petitioner the franchise tax in question. PLDT VS. CITY OF BACOLOD FACTS: PLDT is a holder of a legislative franchise under Act No. 3436, to render local and international telecommunications services. Subsequently, the conditions of its franchise were consolidated with RA 7082, whereunder PLDT shall pay a franchise tax equivalent to three percent (3%) of all its gross receipts, which franchise tax shall be in lieu of all taxes. Meanwhile, the LGC took effect, granting cities and other local government units the power to impose local franchise tax on businesses enjoying a franchise. It likewise provided that all tax exemption privileges then enjoyed by all persons were withdrawn, necessarily including those taxes from which PLDT is exempted under the in-lieu-of-all-taxes clause in its charter. To level the playing field among telecommunication companies, Congress enacted RA 7925 (Public Telecommunications Policy Act), where Sec. 23 thereof or the most favored treatment clause provides for an equality of treatment in the telecommunications industry. Respondent City of Bacolod, made an assessment on PLDT to pay franchise tax due to it. PLDT complied therewith. However, due to a ruling issued by the DOF stating that PLDT, among other
ISSUE: Whether or not Sec 23 of Rep. Act No. 7925, also called the mostfavored-treatment clause, operates to exempt petitioner PLDT from the payment of franchise tax imposed by the respondent City of Bacolod? HELD: NO. Sec 23 does not operate to exempt PLDT from the payment of franchise tax imposed upon it by the City of Bacolod since it does not appear that Congress intended such to operate as a blanket tax exemption. Sec 23 cannot be considered as having amended petitioner's franchise so as to entitle it to exemption from the imposition of local franchise taxes. Tax exemptions are highly disfavored and are interpreted in strictissimi juris against the taxpayer and liberally in favor of the taxing authority. Thus, tax exemption must be expressed in the statute in clear language that leaves no doubt of the intention of the legislature to grant such exemption. In the case at bar, the term exemption in Sec 23 of RA 7925 does not mean tax exemption, rather exemption from certain regulations and requirements imposed by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
Ordinance No. 6537 was passed by the Municipal board of Manila signed by Petitioner Mayor Villegas. Section 1 thereof prohibits aliens from being employed or to engage or participate in any position or occupation or business enumerated therein, whether permanent, temporary or casual, without first securing an employment permit from the Mayor of Manila and paying the permit fee of P50.00 except persons employed in the diplomatic or consular missions of foreign countries, or in the technical assistance programs of both the Philippine Government and any foreign government, and those working in their respective households, and members of religious orders or congregations, sect or denomination, who are not paid monetarily or in kind. Respondent Hiu Chiong Tsai Pao Ho who was employed in Manila, filed a petition for the issuance of the writ of preliminary injunction and restraining order to stop the enforcement of Ordinance No. 6537 as well as for a judgment declaring said Ordinance No. 6537 null and void on ground that it was discriminatory and violative of the rule of uniformity in taxation; that it violates the fundamental principle on illegal delegation of legislative powers as it fails to prescribe any standard to guide and/or limit the action of the Mayor; and it is arbitrary, oppressive and unreasonable. The TC issued the writ of preliminary injunction and declared the said Ordinance null and void.
As to liability of condominium corporations for business tax: The coverage of business taxation particular to the City of Makati is provided by the Makati Revenue Code (Revenue Code), enacted through Municipal Ordinance No. 92-072. It is quite specific as to the particular businesses which are covered by business taxes. The City Treasurer primarily relies on a catchall provision (On owners/operators of any business not specified) The SC held that the City Treasurer failed to point out the legal basis of the assessment (the catch-all provision was not enough and the other provision merely contained etc.) In fact, the condominium act prohibits condominium corporations are from transacting its properties for purposes of gainful profits. More importantly, none of the corporations purposes are geared towards maintaining a livelihood or the making of profits. Hence, it cannot be characterized as a business Therefore, condominium corporations are generally exempt from local business taxation under the LGC. The only exception to this is when unit owners of a condominium band together to engage in activities for profit under the shelter of the condominium corporation. It is prohibited by law and because these acts would constitute ultra vires acts, these unit owners cannot hide using the corporation to use it as a defense when they are taxed for business taxes.
ERICSSON VS. CITY OF PASIG, GR NO. 176667, NOV. 22, 2007 Ericsson Telecommunications, Inc. (petitioner), a corporation with principal office in Pasig City, is engaged in the design,
Issue: Should the local business tax on contractors be based on gross receipts or gross revenues? Insofar as petitioner is concerned, the applicable provision is subsection (e), Section 143 of the LGC Code covering contractors and other independent contractors, to wit: SEC. 143. Tax on Business. - The municipality may impose taxes on the following businesses: xxxx (e) On contractors and other independent contractors, in accordance with the following schedule: With gross receipts for the preceding calendar year in the amount of: xxxx The above provision specifically refers to gross receipts which is defined under Section 131 of the Local Government Code, as follows: (n) "Gross Sales or Receipts" include the total amount of money or its equivalent representing the contract price, compensation or service fee, including the amount charged or materials supplied with the services and the deposits or advance payments actually or constructively received during the taxable quarter for the services performed or to be performed for another person excluding discounts if determinable at the time of sales, sales return, excise tax, and valueThus, the law is clear. Gross receipts include money or its equivalent actually or constructively received in consideration of services rendered or articles sold, exchanged or leased, whether actual or constructive. There is, therefore, constructive receipt, when the consideration for the articles sold, exchanged or leased, or the
As to validity of Sec 187 Section 187 authorizes the Secretary of Justice to review only the constitutionality or legality of the tax ordinance and, if warranted, to revoke it on either or both of these grounds. When he alters or modifies or sets aside a tax ordinance, he is not also permitted to substitute his own judgment for the
JARDINE DAVIES INSURANCE VS. ALIPOSA, GR NO. 118900 FEB. 27, 2003 PRCI (Philippine Racing Club) appealed to the DOJ for the nullification of the Makati Revenue Code, which provides, among others, the schedule of real estate, business and franchise taxes. The rates provided are higher than those in the Metro Manila Revenue Code. PRCI argues that the ordinance was approved without public hearings and that the franchise tax was not within the scope of the taxing powers of Makati. The DOJ declared the ordinance null and void but the City of Makati filed a petition to declare the DOJ resolution null and void. Meanwhile, Makati implemented the ordinance and found Jardine Davies to be liable for taxes under such ordinance. Jardine Davies, however, requested that its tax liabilities be computed based on the Metro Manila Revenue Code considering that the DOJ already considered it null and void. The City of Makati asserted that the ordinance was still valid as its petition with the RTC was still pending. In the meantime, the RTC upheld the validity of the ordinance. However, Jardine Davies still filed a complaint with the RTC, asking for refund of its overpayments. It based its action on the fact that it should be refunded the amounts it paid pursuant to the Makati Revenue Code for the time period wherein it was declared to be invalid by the DOJ and before the time it was declared valid by the RTC.
Issue: Can Jardine Davies still maintain its action? The Court agrees with petitioner that as a general precept, a taxpayer may file a complaint assailing the validity of the ordinance and praying for a refund of its perceived overpayments without first filing a protest to the payment of taxes due under the ordinance. In this case, petitioner, relying on the resolution of the Secretary of Justice in The Philippine Racing Club, Inc. v. Municipality of Makati case, posited in its complaint that the ordinance which