Atty. Alan B. Quintana

November 9, 2007 BIR RULING [DA-587-07] 22 (B); DA-194-2006 Atty. Alan B. Quintana 2nd Floor, Renaissance Tower Meralco Ave., Pasig City S i r : This refers to your letter dated August 22, 2006 requesting for exemption from capital gains tax, documentary stamp tax and value-added tax on the partition and assignment of subdivision lots under a joint venture arrangement for the development of certain contiguous parcels of land in Muntinlupa City. aTAEHc Documents submitted show that Anaped Estate, Inc. (Anaped for brevity) and Victoria Homes, Inc. (VHI) are the registered and legal owners of certain contiguous real properties located at Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa City. Pursuant to a joint venture arrangement, Anaped, together with VHI entered into a Land Investment Trust Agreement with Fil-Estate Properties, Inc. (FEPI) for the development of the above parcels of land into a residential subdivision project. Anaped and VHI will contribute their landholdings, while FEPI will finance and infuse technical and development works on the project as their capital contributions, respectively. You are now in the process of having the subdivision titles issued and consequently, partitioning and assigning the subdivision lots among the parties representing their separate shares in the returns of the joint venture project. In reply, please be informed as follows: Pursuant to Section 22 (B) of the Tax Code of 1997, the term corporation includes partnerships, 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. P.D. No. 929 amended the definition of the taxable corporation so 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. cADSCT 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 is of the opinion as it hereby holds that the joint venture entered into between Anaped, VHI and FEPI is not subject to the regular corporate income tax under Section 27 (A) of the Tax Code of 1997. The allocation of the developed subdivision lots of the project among Anaped, VHI and FEPI, in consideration of their respective contributions, as stipulated in their Land Investment Trust Agreement is not a taxable event and is not subject to income tax or any withholding tax because the allocation is a mere return of capital that each has contributed. (BIR Ruling No. DA-192-2001 dated October 17, 2001) The transfer is also not subject to VAT since under Section 105 of the Tax Code of 1997, 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 VAT imposed in Sections 106 to 108 of the same Tax Code. Hence, by contributing their parcels of land, Anaped and VHI, neither sell, barter, exchange goods, property nor render services to be subject to VAT. (BIR Ruling No. DA-240-2001 dated November 16, 2001) ScaCEH The Partition Agreement whereby Anaped, VHI and FEPI will allocate unto each other their shares in the subdivision lots in consideration of their respective contributions is not subject to the documentary stamp tax imposed under Section 196 of the Tax Code of 1997, income tax and any withholding tax because the allocation is made without monetary consideration and is not in connection with a sale. The partition is made merely to segregate the saleable area between the parties, as the return of the capital which each has contributed. However, the acknowledgment to said Partition Agreement is subject to the documentary stamp tax pursuant to Section 188 of the Tax Code of 1997. It is understood however, that upon subsequent disposition by the co-venturers of the areas allocated to them, the gain that may be realized by them from such sale will be subject to the creditable withholding tax under Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 2-98, as amended by RR No. 6-2001 or capital gains tax under Section 27 (D) (5), as the case may be. Moreover, such sale shall be subject to the documentary stamp tax imposed under Section 196 of the Tax Code of 1997, based on the gross selling price or fair market value of the properties, whichever is higher. Furthermore, the said sale shall likewise be subject to VAT. This ruling is being issued on the basis of the foregoing facts as represented. However, if upon investigation, it will be ascertained that the facts are different, then this ruling shall be considered as null and void. aTDcAH Very truly yours, Commissioner of Internal Revenue By: (SGD.) JAMES H. ROLDAN Assistant Commissioner Legal Service