BIR Ruling No. 253-16

June 22, 2016
BIR RULING NO. 253-16
Section 39 NIRC; RR 7-2003
Bennyson Empire Estate Holdings, Inc.

Limtuaco Bldg. 1830 EDSA
Balintawak, Quezon City
Attention: Olivia Limpe-Aw
Treasurer
Gentlemen :
This refers to your letter dated September 30, 2011, requesting con rmation on
your opinion that the sale of a house and lot, registered under the name of Long-Tess
Investment Corporation, in favor of Bennyson Empire Estate Holdings, Inc., is not
subject to value-added tax (VAT), the subject property being a capital asset; further
requesting to reclassify the tax payments made from creditable withholding tax to
capital gains tax.
Documents submitted show that Long-Tess Realty Investment Corporation , a
corporation duly organized under the laws of the Philippines, bearing Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) Certi cate of Registration No. 52159, is the registered
owner of a house and lot, with a total land area of 1,308 square meters, covered by
Transfer Certi cate of Title No. (415994) S-58330 of the Registry of Deeds for the
Province of Rizal, located in 1365 Caballero St., Dasmariñas Village, Makati City; that on
06 July 2011, a Deed of Absolute Sale was executed by and between Long-Tess Realty
Investment Corporation and Bennyson Empire Estate Holdings, Inc. in which the former
sold the said property to the latter for the amount of Fifty Million Pesos
(Php50,000,000.00); and that the said house and lot has been used as the family home
of the owners of Long-Tess Realty Investment Corporation from the time it was
acquired in 1973 until the time of its sale. Thus, it is contended that the subject
property, it having been consistently used as a residential home, is classi ed as capital
asset, the sale of which is not subject to VAT.
In support of its request, Bennyson Empire Estate Holdings, Inc. has completely
submitted on December 15, 2011 the following documents:
1) Letter application for tax exemption;
2) Certi ed true copy of the Transfer Certi cate of Title No. (415994) S-
58330; ISHCcT
3) Copy of the Articles of Incorporation of Bennyson Empire Estate Holdings,

Inc.;
4) Copy of the latest Financial Statement of Bennyson Empire Estate
Holdings, Inc.;
5) Copy of the Articles of Incorporation of Long-Tess Realty Investment
Corporation; and
6) Copy of the latest Financial Statements of Long-Tess Realty Investment
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Corporation.
In reply, please be informed that Section 39 (A) of the National Internal Revenue
Code (NIRC) of 1997, as amended, provides for the definition of a capital asset, to wit:
"Section 39. Capital Gains and Losses. —
(A) Definitions. — As used in this Title —
(1) Capital Assets. — The term 'capital assets' means property held
by the taxpayer (whether or not connected with his trade or business), but does
not include stock in trade of the taxpayer or other property of a kind which
would properly be included in the inventory of the taxpayer if on hand at the
close of the taxable year, or property held by the taxpayer primarily for sale to
customers in the ordinary course of his trade or business, or property used in the
trade or business, of a character which is subject to the allowance for
depreciation provided in Subsection (F) of Section 34; or real property used in
trade or business of the taxpayer."
The foregoing provision is being implemented by Revenue Regulations (RR) No.
7-2003, issued on February 11, 2003, providing for the guidelines in the determination
of whether a particular real property is a capital asset or an ordinary asset. Section 2 (a)
of RR 7-2003 de nes capital assets as referring to "all real properties held by a
taxpayer, whether or not connected with his trade or business, and which are not
included among the real properties considered as ordinary assets under Sec. 39 (A) (1)
of the Code." On the other hand, Section 2 (b) of the same Regulations laid down what
constitutes ordinary assets as follows:
xxx xxx xxx
"b. Ordinary assets shall refer to all real properties speci cally
excluded from the de nition of capital assets under Sec. 39(A)(1) of the Code,
namely:
1. Stock in trade of a taxpayer or other real property of a kind which
would properly be included in the inventory of the taxpayer if on
hand at the close of the taxable year; or
2. Real property held by the taxpayer primarily for sale to customers in
the ordinary course of his trade or business; or
3. Real property used in trade or business (i.e., buildings and/or
improvements) of a character which is subject to the allowance for
depreciation provided for under Sec. 34(F) of the Code; or
4. Real property used in trade or business of the taxpayer.
xxx xxx xxx"
c. Real property shall have the same meaning attributed to that term
under Article 415 of Republic Act No. 386, otherwise known as the "Civil Code of
the Philippines."
d. Real estate dealer shall refer to any person engaged in the
business of buying and selling or exchanging real properties on his
own account as a principal and holding himself out as a full or part-
time dealer in real estate . (underscoring supplied)
e. Real estate developer shall refer to any person engaged in the
business of developing real properties into subdivisions, or building houses on
subdivided lots, or constructing residential or commercial units, townhouses
and other similar units for his own account and offering them for sale or lease.
f. Real estate lessor shall refer to any person engaged in the
business of leasing or renting real properties on his own account as a principal
and holding himself out as lessor of real properties being rented out or offered
for rent.
g. Taxpayers engaged in the real estate business shall refer
collectively to real estate dealers, real estate developers, and/or real estate
lessors. Conversely, the term "taxpayers not engaged in the real estate business"
shall refer to persons other than real estate dealers, real estate developers
and/or real estate lessors. A taxpayer whose primary purpose of engaging
in business, or whose Articles of Incorporation states that its primary
purpose is to engage in the real estate business shall be deemed to be
engaged in the real estate business for purposes of these Regulations .
(underscoring supplied)
SECTION 3. Guidelines in Determining Whether a Particular Real
Property is a Capital Asset or Ordinary Asset. —
a. Taxpayers engaged in the real estate business. — Real property
shall be classi ed with respect to taxpayers engaged in the real estate business
as follows:
1. Real Estate Dealer. — All real properties acquired by the
real estate dealer shall be considered as ordinary assets .
2. Real estate Developer. — All real properties acquired by the real
estate developer, whether developed or undeveloped as of the time
of acquisition, and all real properties which are eld by the real
estate developer primarily for sale or for lease to customers in the
ordinary course of his trade or business or which would properly be
included in the inventory of the taxpayer if on hand at the close of
the taxable year and all real properties used in the trade or business,
whether in the form of land, building, or other improvements, shall
be considered as ordinary assets. CAacTH
3. Real Estate Lessor. — All real properties of the real estate lessor,
whether land and/or improvements, which are for lease/rent or
being offered for lease/rent, or otherwise for use or being used in
the trade or business shall likewise be considered as ordinary
assets.
4. Taxpayers habitually engaged in the real estate business. — All real
properties acquired in the course of trade or business by a taxpayer
habitually engaged in the sale of real estate shall be considered as
ordinary assets. Registration with the HLURB or HUDCC as a real
estate dealer or developer shall be suf cient for a taxpayer to be
considered as habitually engaged in the sale of real estate. If the
taxpayer is not registered with the HLURB or HUDCC as a real estate
dealer or developer, he/it may nevertheless be deemed to be
engaged in the real estate business through the establishment of
substantial relevant evidence (such as consummation during the
preceding year of at least six (6) taxable real estate sale
transactions, regardless of amount; registration as habitually
engaged in real estate business with the Local Government Unit or
the Bureau of Internal Revenue, etc.)."
Based on the above-quoted provisions, it is clear that all real property owned or
acquired by a taxpayer engaged in the real estate business are classi ed as ordinary
assets. The classi cation, therefore, of a particular real property as being capital or
ordinary asset does not depend upon its actual use or the purpose for its acquisition,
but on the nature of the business of its registered owner. A cursory reading of the
Articles of Incorporation (AOI) of Long-Tess Realty Investment Corporation reveals that
it is engaged in the real estate business. The AOI of Long-Tess Realty Investment
Corporation, in categorical terms, laid down the primary purpose of the corporation as
follows:
"Second — That the purpose for which the corporation is formed are as
follows:
"PRIMARY PURPOSE
To engage in the real estate business, generally without
limitation as to classes and nature, with full authority to acquire,
purchase, hold, own, mortgage, sell, rent, lease, assign, transfer,
invest, trade, deal in or deal with any kind of real property and to
perform all acts and things necessary and proper to acquire title to
and ownership of, whether improved or unimproved and be it
residential, commercial or agricultural, and to dispose of the same
in the general conduct of the business of the corporation."
In view of the foregoing, this Of ce is of the opinion, as it hereby holds that, the
subject property sold by Long-Tess Realty Investment Corporation , being owned by a
corporation engaged in the real estate business, is classi ed as ordinary asset, thus,
subject to the value-added tax (VAT) and creditable withholding tax.
Please be guided accordingly.
Very truly yours,
(SGD.) KIM S. JACINTO-HENARES

Commissioner of Internal Revenue

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June 22, 2016

BIR RULING NO. 253-16

Section 39 NIRC; RR 7-2003

Bennyson Empire Estate Holdings, Inc.

3) Copy of the Articles of Incorporation of Bennyson Empire Estate Holdings,

Very truly yours,

(SGD.) KIM S. JACINTO-HENARES

CD Technologies Asia, Inc. © 2016 cdasiaonline.com

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