Manga Matanao Davao Sur Balite Irrigators Association, Inc.

June 28, 2018 BIR RULING NO. 1038-18 Section 30 (J) of the NIRC of 1997, as amended; RMO No. 20-2013; RMC No. 051-14; BIR Ruling No. 466-2014 Manga Matanao Davao Sur Balite Irrigators Association, Inc. Manga, Matanao, Davao Del Sur 8003 Attention: Lory J. Hesera IA President Gentlemen : This refers to your application for the issuance of a Tax Exemption Certificate pursuant to Section 30 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997, as amended, which was forwarded to this Office by Revenue Region No. 19, Davao City, through 1st Indorsement dated August 19, 2015. TAIaHE It is represented that MANGA MATANAO DAVAO SUR BALITE IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION, INC. with BIR Taxpayer's Identification No. (TIN) 005-281-970-000 and Certificate of Registration No. OCN 2RC0000498471 dated May 19, 1999, is a non-stock, non-sectarian association duly organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines; that it is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under Company Registration No. D1999 and with SEC Certificate of Incorporation dated February 5, 1999; and that the purposes 1 for which the association was incorporated are: 1. To cooperate in the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system or a portion thereof with National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in preparation for the eventual turn-over of the same under such terms and conditions that the NIA Board may impose; 2. To serve as a channel for government and private agencies in providing technical and financial assistance to farmer-members; 3. To manage and establish, maintain and operate economic/livelihood activities and services for its farmers; ICHDca 4. To assist or act as an agent or representative of its member IAs in marketing their produce; 5. To acquire loans from the government through any of its lending institutions for productive agricultural purposes; and 6. To do and perform any other acts and to exercise other power which may be necessary, convenient and appropriate to accomplish the purpose for which the association is organized. In reply, please be informed that Section 30 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, enumerates the non-stock and/or non-profit corporations/associations/organizations that are exempt from income tax in respect to income received by them as such. Section 30 (J) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, provides, viz. : "Sec. 30. Exemptions from Tax on Corporations. The following organizations shall not be taxed under this Title in respect to income received by them as such: xxx xxx xxx (J) Farmers' or other mutual typhoon or fire insurance company, mutual ditch or irrigation company, mutual or cooperative telephone company, or like organization of a purely local character, the income of which consists solely of assessments, dues, and fees collected from members for the sole purpose of meeting its expenses; x x x" "Non-stock" means "no part of its income is distributable as dividends to its members, trustees, or officers" and that any profit "obtained as an incident to its operations shall, whenever necessary or proper, be used for the furtherance of the purpose or purposes for which the corporation was organized." 2 "Non-profit" means that "no net income or asset accrues to or benefits any member or specific person, with all the net income or asset devoted to the institution's purposes and all its activities conducted not for profit." 3 TCAScE Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 51-2014 has clarified that in order for an entity to qualify as a non-stock and/or non-profit corporation/association/organization exempt from income tax under Section 30 of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended, its earnings or assets shall not inure to the benefit of any of its trustees, organizers, officers, members or any specific person. The following are considered "inurements" of such nature: 1. The payment of compensation, salaries, or honorarium to its trustees or organizers; xxx xxx xxx In the submitted documents of MANGA MATANAO DAVAO SUR BALITE IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION, INC. , it was disclosed that: 1. the Board of Trustees except the president, receive P1,000 per cropping which is for six months or P2,000 each year; 4 2. the Board of Directors shall serve without compensation until such time that the association is capable; 5 3. incentives were given to the Board of Trustees and other officers for their services rendered to the Association in supervising the irrigation system in order to provide sufficient water supply needed by the members for their rice production; 6 and ASEcHI 4. service fees were given to the Board of Trustees and other workers such as water masters, gatekeepers, collectors for their extra services rendered to the Association for the operation and maintenance of its irrigation system. 7 The giving of compensation, service fees, and other incentives to the members of the Board of Trustees are considered distributions of the equity (including the net income) of MANGA MATANAO DAVAO SUR BALITE IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION, INC. These are forms of private inurements which the law prohibits in the organization and operation of a non-stock, non-profit corporation. These acts violate the requirement that no part of the net income or assets of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of any individual or specific person. Thus, MANGA MATANAO DAVAO SUR BALITE IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION, INC. cannot be qualified as a non-stock, non-profit corporation or association under Section 30 (J) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended. Please bear in mind that, "being a non-stock and/or non-profit corporation does not, by this reason alone, completely exempt an institution from tax." 8 Thus, "statutes granting tax exemptions are construed strictissimi juris against the taxpayer and liberally in favor of the taxing authority. A claim of tax exemption must be clearly shown and based on language in law too plain to be mistaken. Otherwise stated, taxation is the rule, exemption is the exception. The burden of proof rests upon the party claiming the exemption to prove that it is in fact covered by the exemption so claimed." 9 (BIR Ruling No. 466-2014 dated November 19, 2014) cTDaEH In view of the foregoing, the request of MANGA MATANAO DAVAO SUR BALITE IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION, INC. to be exempted from income tax on its income as a Section 30 (J) corporation is hereby denied as it failed to prove that it is a non-profit corporation. Therefore, MANGA MATANAO DAVAO SUR BALITE IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION, INC. shall be treated as an ordinary corporation subject to thirty percent (30%) income tax rate pursuant to Section 27 (A) and other internal revenue taxes imposed by the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended. Please be guided accordingly. ITAaHc Very truly yours, (SGD.) CAESAR R. DULAY Commissioner of Internal Revenue Footnotes 1. Article I, Articles of Incorporation. 2. Section 87, Corporation Code. 3. CIR vs. St. Luke's Medical Center, Inc. , G.R. Nos. 195909 and 195960 dated 26 September 2012. 4. Certification under Oath by Pablita T. Mamites, the IA Treasurer of the Association. 5. Section 11, Article VIII, By-Laws. 6. Note 6. Notes to Financial Statements, 2014 Audited Financial Statements of the Association; Statement of Revenue and Expenses, 2014, 2013 and 2012 Audited Financial Statements of the Association. 7. Certification under Oath by Lory J. Hesera, the IA President of the Association, as to the Association's disposition of income. 8. CIR vs. St. Luke's Medical Center, Inc. [G.R. No. 195909 & G.R. No. 195960, 26 September 2012]. 9. Quezon City and The City Treasurer of Quezon City vs. ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation [G.R. No. 166408, 6 October 2008].