Avida Land Corporation

October 19, 2007 BIR RULING [DA-547-07] Avida Land Corporation Mondragon House 324 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue Makati City Attention: Atty. Mena R. Ojeda, Jr. Gentlemen : This refers to your letter dated June 27, 2007 stating that Equimark-NFC Corporation (Equimark-NFC) is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Philippines and is the registered owner of a parcel of land located at Barangay San Antonio, Makati City covered by TCT No. 165992 (Property); that on the other hand, Avida Land Corporation is a corporation duly organized and existing under the Philippine laws and is engaged in the development of real estate; that on January 30, 2007, Equimark-NFC and Avida Land Corporation (Parties) entered into a Joint Development Agreement (Agreement), for the joint development of the Property into a Condominium Project which the Parties have agreed to call "Avida Towers Makati West" (Project); that the Project consists of the planning and development of the Property into a residential condominium for the benefit of the residents and occupants, and shall include the master planning of the intended development of the Project Area, land development and design of all phases of the Project Area, and the marketing and sale of the Residential Units pursuant to the terms and conditions specified therein; that the Project also includes the marketing, sale, design and construction of Residential Units (Residential Units) that the specific terms of the Agreement are as follows: THcEaS (a) Equimark-NFC shall contribute the Property (and all its rights, title and interest in and to the same) that will constitute the entire area of the Project. (b) Avida Land Corporation shall contribute the necessary cash for the construction and development of the Project and perform all the development work for the project. (c) In consideration of, and in return for their respective contributions to the Project, Avida Land Corporation and Equimark-NFC shall share in the distribution of the Developed Units comprising the Project proportionate to their respective contributions. In determining each of the parties' respective shares in the Project, each Developed Unit shall be offered for sale to the public (the reference value). Each of the parties shall thereafter be allocated their respective shares as follows: (i) Equimark-NFC shall receive, as its allocation for each phase, Developed Units located therein with an aggregate reference value amounting to 18% of the total reference value of all condominium Developed Units in such phase, computed I the following manner: RV Equimark-NFC(c) = (18% x R) Where: RV Equimark-NFC(c) = the reference value of Equimark-NFC allocation with respect to the relevant value R = The total reference value of all Developed Units in the relevant Phase Avida Land Corporation shall receive as its allocation for each phase Developed Units located therein with an aggregate reference value equal to the difference between the total reference value of all Developed Units in the Condominium Phase/Tower and the aggregate reference value of Equimark-NFC's allocation therein. aSIETH (ii) All road lots, easements, utilities, facilities and open space in the Project shall be ceded to and registered in the name of Avida Land Corporation. (d) The actual distribution to Equimark-NFC and Avida Land Corporation of the Saleable Residential Units as their respective Allocation shall be effected through the execution of a Deed of Partition which the Parties shall execute without monetary consideration. Prior to the execution of the Deed of Partition, the Parties shall have a prorated interest in the Project on the basis of pro rata allocation above. (e) After distribution of their respective Allocation, Equimark-NFC and Avida Land Corporation shall respectively maintain separate ownership of such allocated Saleable Residential Units and may sell or transfer the same to third parties independently of the other, and without pooling their profits and resources with the other party. In connection therewith, you now request confirmation of your opinion that 1. The joint venture whereby Equimark-NFC will contribute the Parcel and Avida Land Corporation will contribute the expertise for the development of the Project into a residential subdivision project does not give rise to taxable joint venture, hence, is not subject to corporate income tax pursuant to Section 22 (B) in relation to Section 27 (A) of the Tax Code; SCHTac 2. The allocation and distribution of the respective shares of the Parties in the Project consisting of Units in consideration for their respective contributions to the joint venture is not a taxable event, hence, is not subject to the regular corporate income tax under Section 27 (A) of the Tax Code, nor creditable withholding tax under Revenue Regulations No. 2-98, and the documentary stamp tax under Section 196 of the Tax Code, because allocation is a mere return of capital that each of the Parties has contributed to the Project; 3. The Deed of Partition to be executed by the parties whereby they allocate and distribute between them their respective shares in the Project in exchange for their respective contributions is without monetary consideration, hence, is not subject to value-added tax under Section 106 of the Tax Code, income/creditable withholding tax under Revenue Regulations No. 2-98, and the documentary stamp tax under Section 196 of the Tax Code; 4. In accordance with the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 957, and the rules and regulations implementing the same, the conveyance by Avida Land Corporation and registration of the Parcel in the name of the Homeowner's Association upon completion of the Project is not a taxable event and not subject to corporate income tax, VAT or documentary stamp tax. Consequently, the confirmation of this request will authorize the Revenue District Officer of the revenue district where the Parcel is located to issue the corresponding tax Clearance Certificate with regard to the transfer of the title to the Property in the name of the Homeowner's Association upon completion of the Project, without need of presentation of proof of payment of the creditable withholding tax, documentary stamp tax and value-added tax; 5. In the event, however, that any of the Parties shall subsequently sell their respective shares consisting of Units, such sale shall be subject to the regular corporate income tax under Section 27 (A) of the Tax Code and the creditable withholding tax under Revenue Regulations No. 2-98, value-added tax imposed under Section 106, and documentary stamp tax imposed under Section 196, both of the Tax Code. cSEAHa In reply thereto, please be informed that your opinion is hereby confirmed as follows: 1. Pursuant to Section 22 (B) of the Tax Code of 1997, the term corporation includes partnership, no matter how created or organized, joint stock companies, joint accounts ( cuentas en participacion ), associations or insurance companies, but does not include general professional partnerships and a joint venture or consortium formed for the purpose of undertaking construction projects or engaging in petroleum, coal, geothermal and other energy operations pursuant to an operating or consortium agreement under a service contract with the Government. It is to be emphasized, however, that P.D. 929 amended the definition of the taxable corporation as not to include joint venture formed for the purpose of undertaking construction projects. The reasons for such amendment are: (1) Local contractors contribute substantially to the development program of the country; (2) Local contractors are at a disadvantage in competitive bidding with foreign contractors in view of limited capital and financial resources; (3) In order to be able to compete with big foreign contractors, it may be necessary for them to enter into joint ventures to pool, their limited resources in undertaking big construction projects; (4) To assist them in achieving competitiveness with foreign contractors, the joint ventures formed by them should not be considered an additional income tax lien. Considering that it is the intention of the legislature to exclude joint venture or consortium formed for the purpose of undertaking construction projects from the definition of taxable corporation, this Office holds that the Agreement entered into by Equimark-NFC and Avida Land Corporation is not subject to the corporate income tax under Section 27 (A) of the Tax Code of 1997. However, the co-venturers are separately subject to the regular corporate income tax on their taxable income during each taxable year respectively derived by them from the aforesaid construction project. EICScD 2. The allocation and distribution of the respective shares of the Parties in the Project consisting of Units in consideration of their respective contributions, as stipulated in the Agreement is not a taxable event and is not subject to income tax, withholding tax, value-added tax and documentary stamp tax because the allocation is a mere return of capital that each has contributed. 3. The Deed of Partition to be executed by the Parties whereby they allocate and distribute between them their respective shares in the Project in exchange for their respective contributions is without monetary consideration is not subject to value-added tax under Section 106 of the Tax Code of 1997, as amended by Republic Act No. 9337, as implemented by Revenue Regulations No. 16-2005, income tax/creditable withholding tax under Revenue Regulations No. 2-98, as amended, and to the corresponding documentary stamp tax prescribed in Section 196 of the Tax Code of 1997, as amended. 4. The conveyance by Avida Land Corporation and registration of the Property in the name of the Homeowner's Association upon completion of the Project is not a taxable event and not subject to corporate income tax, value-added tax and documentary stamp tax. Accordingly, this will authorize the Revenue District Officer of the revenue district office where the Property is located to issue the corresponding Certificate Authorizing Registration (CAR) or Tax Clearance Certificate (TCL) with regard to the transfer of the title to the Property in the name of the Homeowner's Association upon completion of the Project, without need of presentation of proof of payment of the creditable withholding tax, documentary stamp tax and value-added tax. 5. However, upon subsequent sale by the Parties of their respective shares consisting of Units, the gain that may be realized by them from such sale will be subject to the regular corporate income tax under Section 27 (A) and to the creditable withholding tax under Revenue Regulations No. 2-98, as amended, and to the documentary stamp tax imposed under Section 196 of the Tax Code of 1997, as amended, and to the value-added tax imposed under R.A. No. 9337, as implemented by Revenue Regulations No. 16-2005, unless exempt under Section 109 (w), supra . (BIR Ruling Nos. 274-92 dated September 30, 1992; 010-96 dated January 23, 1996; BIR Ruling Nos. DA065-97 dated February 10, 1997, DA286-98 dated June 29, 1998) IDCcEa Finally, the joint venture or the party who undertakes the development of the project shall file an Annual Information Return and other returns required to be filed with the RDO where it is registered or required to be registered. This ruling is being issued on the basis of the foregoing facts as represented. However, if upon investigation, it will be disclosed that the facts are different, then this ruling shall be considered null and void. aDcHIC Very truly yours, (SGD.) JAMES H. ROLDAN Assistant Commissioner Legal Service