RMO 8-2017 amends Revenue Memorandum Order No. (“RMO 72-2010”) by providing for new procedures in claiming preferential tax treaty benefits on dividend, interest, and royalty income of nonresidents, following a system of self-assessment and automatic withholding of taxes subject to post-reporting validation. In lieu of obtaining a tax treaty relief application (“TTRA”) ruling under RMO 72-2010 ...
The May 2017 issue of theInternational Financial Law Review (IFLR) includes an international briefing article by SyCipLaw partner Melyjane G. Bertillo-Ancheta entitled "Philippines: Amendments to the FX Regulations". The article discusses the circulars, issued by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (the central monetary authority of the Philippines), amending the country's foreign exchange regulations ...
The April issue of the International Financial Law Review(IFLR) includes an international briefing article by SyCipLaw partner HiyasminH. Lapitan entitled “Philippines: Acquiring Insurance Brokers”. The article discusses the new requirement by the Philippine Insurance Commission(IC) for advance approval to acquire a stake in a Philippine corporation that is licensed as an insurance broker or reinsurance broker ...
On June 13, 2016, the then Commissioner of Internal Revenue issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 62-2016 purporting to clarify the proper tax treatment of percentage tax or gross receipts tax (GRT) due on transactions covered by Sections 1211 and 1222 of the Tax Code which are shifted through contractual stipulations to borrowers/customers/clients(“passed-on” GRT) ...
The Philippine Court of Appeals (CA) denied the petition by NGO Ang Aroroy ay Alagaan, Inc. and certain individuals, for the issuance of a writ of kalikasan against Filminera Resources Corporation, and its directors and officers. The petitioners have claimed that Filminera, which operates in the Philippine province of Masbate, had been causing environmental damage in the conduct of its mining operations in violation of local law, and that a writ of kalikasan should be issued ...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) (the Philippine Central Bank) has issued two new circulars that will be of interest to companies engaged in remittance services, e-money, digital currency, and other fintech businesses. Both circulars amend portions of the BSP Manual of Regulations for Non-Bank Financial Institutions. BSP Circular No ...
The March issue of the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) includes an international briefing article by SyCipLaw Partner Jose Florante M. Pamfilo entitled “Philippines: Foreign equity ownership decision”. The article discusses the Philippine Supreme Court decision on the case of Roy v. Herbosa (GR no. 207246) to invalidate the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Memorandum Circular no ...
The World Bank Group has released its Doing Business 2017: Equal Opportunity for All report. This is the 14th in an annual series of reports providing objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement in 190 economies ...
The February issue of the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) includes an international briefing article by SyCipLaw partner Aaron Roi B. Riturban entitled “Philippines: Promoting foreign investment”. The article focuses on Republic Act no. 10881, which lifts the foreign investment limitations found in laws governing adjustment companies, lending companies, financing companies, and investment houses. Read the article online at the IFLR website ...
The World Bank Group has released Enabling the Business of Agriculture 2017. The report presents data on legal barriers for farmers, entrepreneurs and businesses operating in agriculture in 62 countries and across the topics of land, seed, fertilizer, machinery, water, livestock, finance, markets, transport, and information and communication technology (ICT). SyCipLaw's Rose Marie M. King-Dominguez, Alan C. Fontanosa, Franco Aristotle G. Larcina and Ruben P ...
The sixth edition of The International Capital Markets Review is already available. The Philippine chapter outlines governing laws, legislative bodies, and recent jurisprudence, and also contains information on recent developments in relevant laws and regulations, especially those affecting debt and equity offerings and those affecting derivatives, securitizations and other structured products. The chapter was contributed by SyCipLaw partner Maria Teresa D ...
The December/January issue of the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) included an international briefing article entitled “Philippines: Competition Law Updates”. The article was contributed by SyCipLaw partners Franco Aristotle G. Larcina and Arlene M. Maneja. The article discussed the new merger form issued by the Philippine Competition Commission on August 31, 2016. Read the article online at the IFLR website ...
The Employment & Immigration Update Vol ...
The November 2016 issue of the Asian Legal Business (ALB) includes a regional update article entitled “Evidentiary Issues in Arbitration”, contributed by SyCipLaw Partner Ramon G. Songco and Associate Arvin Kristopher A. Razon. The article enumerated and discussed the laws that aimed to address concerns in resolving disputes in arbitration, such as how evidence is presented, assessed for relevance and competence, and protected during arbitration proceedings ...
The October issue of the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) included an international briefing article entitled “Mining Developments”. The article was contributed by SyCipLaw partner Aaron Roi B. Riturban ...
The 2017 edition of Getting the Deal Through: Islamic Finance & Markets features SyCipLaw Of Counsel Mia G. Gentugaya as contributing editor. SyCipLaw Partner Amer Hussein N. Mambuay contributed the Philippine section ...
SyCipLaw partner Russel L. Rodriguez contributed to the first Global Migration Section (GMS) Digest of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) year. The interview discussed the practice of immigration in the Philippines, the process of sending employees to the country, qualification of same sex spouses for dependent status, and a hot topic in Philippine immigration. Download a PDF copy of the digest. Mr. Rodriguez specializes in civil and commercial litigation ...
The October 2016 issue of the Asian Legal Business (ALB) includes a regional update article entitled “New Implementing Rules for Philippine Data Privacy Act”, contributed by SyCipLaw partner Rose Marie M. King-Dominguez. The article enumerated and discussed the implementing rules and regulations of the Philippine Data Privacy Act of 2012. It is located on page 11. Read the full ALB October 2016 issue on the ALB website ...
The September issue of the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) included an international briefing article entitled “Facilitating Creditor-Debtor Dealings”. The article was contributed by SyCipLaw partner Russel L. Rodriguez, senior associate John Christian Joy A. Regalado, and associate Jo Margarette W. Remollo ...
The July/August issue of the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) included an international briefing article entitled “Promoting Foreign Investment”. The article was contributed by SyCipLaw partner Carina C. Laforteza and associate Lito Paolo T. Martin II. The article discussed the enactment of Republic Act No. 10881, which was set to make the Philippine sa more attractive destination for foreign investors in the financing industry ...
On July 28, 2016, the Department of Labor and Employment (“DOLE”) issued Labor Advisory No 10-2016 (“Advisory”) reiterating the prohibition against labor-only contracting and Department Order No. 162-2016 (“Department Order”) suspending the registration of new applicants as contractors or subcontractors under Department Order No. 18-A (“DO 18-A”) ...
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has issued the implementing rules and regulations of the Data Privacy Act of 2012. The rules, promulgated on August 24, 2016, will take effect 15 days from publication in the Official Gazette. Download the Client Alert for more information on the new implementing rules for Philippine Data Privacy Act. This alert was authored by SyCipLaw partner Rose Marie M. King-Dominguez and associate Aaron Jeric M. Legaspi ...
The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has issued its first merger clearance under the implementing rules and regulations of the Philippine Competition Act. The clearance was for the proposed acquisition by Sanofi of the CHC business of Boehringer Ingelham. SyCipLaw acted as Philippine antitrust counsel to Sanofi. Download the Client Alert for more information on the first merger clearance of PCC under the Philippine Competition Act ...
SyCipLaw partners Jose Florante M. Pamfilo and Franco Aristotle G. Larcina contributed the Philippine chapter of Herbert Smith Freehills’ 1st edition of Guide to Restructuring, Turnaround and Insolvency in Asia Pacific. The Guide is intended to provide an understanding of the legal framework in different jurisdictions, as well as to address key practical issues commonly encountered when dealing with companies in financial difficulties ...
The September 2016 issue of the Asian Legal Business (ALB) Edition included a regional update article entitled “Anti-Corruption Laws in the Philippines”, contributed by SyCipLaw partner Ronald Mark C. Lleno, and Associate Rhey David S. Daway. The article discussed examples of prohibited corrupt practices under Philippine law. It is located on page 16. Access the full ALB September 2016 issue online ...