ITAD BIR Ruling No. 043-13

February 28, 2013 ITAD BIR RULING NO. 043-13 Article 10, Philippines-Japan tax treaty, as amended; BIR Ruling No. ITAD-008-10 Sumisetsu Philippines, Inc. 8th Floor, G.C. Corporate Plaza 150 Legaspi Street, Legaspi Village Makati City 1229 Attention: Atty. Marilou I. Ababa-Premediles Assistant Manager Gentlemen : This refers to your tax treaty relief application filed on September 29, 2011, requesting confirmation that dividends paid to Sumitomo Densetsu Company, Ltd. ("Sumitomo") by Sumisetsu Philippines, Inc. ("Sumisetsu") are subject to a preferential tax rate of 10 percent pursuant to the Convention between the Republic of the Philippines and Japan for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income ("Philippines-Japan tax treaty") , as amended by a Protocol 1 effective January 1, 2009. It is represented that Sumitomo is a foreign corporation organized and existing under the laws of Japan and is a resident of Japan based on the Residence Certificate issued by Nishi Tax Office on August 4, 2011; that Sumitomo is situated at 12-15 Mita-3 Chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; that Sumitomo was licensed to engage in business in the Philippines under SEC No. F-1360 but subsequently withdrew and cancelled on April 23, 2003 based on the Certificate of Corporate Filing/Information issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on May 20, 2011; and that, on the other hand, Sumisetsu is a domestic corporation situated at 8th Floor, G.C. Corporate Plaza, 150 Legaspi Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City, Philippines. It is further represented, based on the Secretary's Certificate issued by the Corporate Secretary of Sumisetsu on September 23, 2011, that on June 6, 2011, the Board of Directors of Sumisetsu , at its meeting, declared cash dividends amounting to P8,700,000.00 in favor of the stockholders of record as of March 31, 2011 of Sumisetsu , payable to the owners of the Corporation's issued and outstanding shares as of June 6, 2011, as follows: EScHDA Class of Shares Amount Common P435,000.00 Preferred "A" P8,264,850.00 Preferred "B" P150.00 That dividends will be paid out on September 27, 2011 to the stockholders of Sumisetsu in accordance with the number of their shares as of the record of June 6, 2011; that Sumitomo is the legal and beneficial owner of 2,000 common shares with a total par value of P2,000,000.00 which constitute 40 percent of the outstanding common shares of Sumisetsu and 1,000 preferred "A" shares with a total par value of P1,000,000.00. It is finally represented that the dividends subject of this ruling are not under investigation, on-going audit, administrative protest, claim for refund or issuance of a tax credit certificate, collection proceedings, or judicial appeal, based on the Certification issued by the same President of Sumisetsu on September 21, 2011. In reply, please be informed that Section 28 (B) (1) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 (" Tax Code "), as amended, provides that dividends paid to Sumitomo , being a foreign corporations not engaged in trade or business in the Philippines, are subject to income tax at the rate of 30 percent, thus: "Section 28. Rates of Income Tax on Foreign Corporations. xxx xxx xxx (B) Tax on Nonresident Foreign Corporation. (1) In General. Except as otherwise provided in this Code, a foreign corporation not engaged in trade or business in the Philippines shall pay a tax equal to thirty-five percent (35%) of the gross income received during each taxable year from all sources within the Philippines, such as interests, dividends, rents, royalties, salaries, premiums (except reinsurance premiums), annuities, emoluments or other fixed or determinable annual, periodic or casual gains, profits and income, and capital gains, except capital gains subject to tax under subparagraph 5(c): Provided, That effective January 1, 2009, the rate of income tax shall be thirty percent (30%). xxx xxx xxx" However, Section 32 (B) (5) of the Code provides that such dividends may be exempt or subject to a reduced rate to the extent required by any treaty obligation on the Philippines, thus: ACTISD "Section 32. Gross Income. xxx xxx xxx (B) Exclusions from Gross Income. The following items shall not be included in gross income and shall be exempt from taxation under this Title: xxx xxx xxx (5) Income Exempt under Treaty. Income of any kind, to the extent required by any treaty obligation binding upon the Government of the Philippines. xxx xxx xxx" With respect to a tax treaty, you invoke the Philippines-Japan tax treaty, as amended. Paragraphs 1, 2, and 3, Article 10 thereof provide: "Article 10 1. Dividends paid by a company which is a resident of a Contracting State to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other Contracting State. 2. However, such dividends may also be taxed in the Contracting State of which the company paying the dividends is a resident, and according to the laws of that Contracting State, but if the recipient is the beneficial owner of the dividends the tax so charged shall not exceed: a) 10 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends if the beneficial owner is a company which holds directly at least 10 per cent either of the voting shares of the company paying the dividends or of the total shares issued by that company during the period of six months immediately preceding the date of payment of the dividends; b) 15 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends in all other cases. The provisions of this paragraph shall not affect the taxation of the company in respect of the profits out of which the dividends are paid. 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, the amount of tax imposed by the Philippines on the dividends paid by a company, being a resident of the Philippines, registered with the Board of Investments and engaged in preferred pioneer areas of investment under the investment incentives laws of the Philippines to a resident of Japan, who is the beneficial owner of the dividends, shall not exceed 10 per cent of the gross amount of the dividends. CcEHaI xxx xxx xxx" Based on the aforequoted provisions, dividends arising in the Philippines paid to a resident of Japan may be taxed in the Philippines at a rate not to exceed: (a) beginning, January 1, 2009, 10 percent of the gross amount of dividends if the company recipient of the dividends holds directly at least 10 percent of the voting shares or the total shares of the company paying the dividends during the period of six months immediately preceding the date of payment of the dividends; (b) 10 percent of the gross amount of the dividends if the domestic company paying the dividends is registered with the Board of Investments and engaged in preferred areas of activities under the investment incentives laws of the Philippines; and (c) 15 percent of the gross amount of the dividends in all other cases. Accordingly, considering that Sumitomo holds directly at least 10 percent of the total shares of stock of Sumisetsu during the period of six months immediately preceding the date of payment of the dividends on or before September 27, 2011, such dividends paid by Sumisetsu to Sumitomo are subject to income tax at the reduced rate of 10 percent of the gross amount thereof, pursuant to paragraph 2 (a), Article 10 of the Philippines-Japan tax treaty, as amended. (BIR Ruling No. ITAD 008-10 dated June 3, 2010) This ruling is issued on the basis of the facts as represented. However, if upon investigation it shall be disclosed that the actual facts are different, then this ruling shall be without force and effect insofar as the herein parties are concerned. Very truly yours, (SGD.) KIM S. JACINTO-HENARES Commissioner of Internal Revenue Footnotes 1. Protocol Amending the Convention between the Republic of the Philippines and Japan for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income.