The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (“BSP”; the Philippine Central Bank) issued BSP Circular No. 1149, series of 2022 (Guidelines on the Integration of Sustainability Principles in Investment Activities of Banks). The Circular sets expectations on the prudent conduct of investment activities, as well as minimum practices that banks must establish for the management and control of investment-related risks ...
The Philippine Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has issued an opinion to the effect that the exploration, development and utilization (“EDU”) of solar, wind, hydro and ocean or tidal energy sources is not subject to the forty percent (40%) foreign equity limitation under Article XII, Section 2 of the Philippine Constitution ...
Concepts such as “circular economy”, “plastic neutrality”, and “sustainable consumption and production” became part of Philippine statutory law with the enactment of Republic Act No. 11898 or the Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2022 (the "EPRA") ...
After more than 10 years, the Department of Finance has finally issued Revenue Regulations (RR) 7-2022, which provides "the policies and guidelines for the availment of tax incentives under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008" ...
In August 2022, the House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways and Means approved a bill proposing a new fiscal regime for the Philippine mining industry, following the previous proposal of the Department of Finance (DOF)and which will cover existing and prospective large-scale metallic mine, regardless of location ...
On April 14, 2021, then President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) No. 130 (EO No. 130), which amends Section 4 of EO No. 79, s. 2012 (EO No. 79), lifting the moratorium on the grant of new mineral agreements. Section 4 of EO 79 had imposed a moratorium on the granting of new mineral agreements “until a legislation rationalizing existing revenue sharing schemes and mechanisms shall have taken effect.” The whereas clauses of EO No. 130 noted that Republic Act No ...
The present government is looking to the mining industry to aid in the country’s economic recovery. Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno has stated that the Marcos administration seeks to create an enabling environment for the growth of the mining industry while adhering to responsible and sustainable mining practices ...
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) Partners Ricardo Ma. P.G. Ongkiko (Head of the Firm's Litigation Department), Carlos Roberto Z. Lopez, and John Christian Joy A. Regalado authored the Philippine chapter of the latest Global Practice Guide (GPG) on International Arbitration published by Chambers and Partners ...
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) has kept its Tier 1 ranking in M&A, and in Restructuring and Insolvency, in the latest launch of the IFLR1000 rankings, the guide to the world’s leading financial and corporate law firms. Earlier this year, SyCipLaw also received Tier 1 rankings in Banking, Capital markets: Equity, Project development, and in Project finance ...
The Philippines is party to double taxation agreements (DTAs) with 43 countries. These DTAs contain exchange of information (EOI) provisions, which oblige contracting parties to exchange details that are needed to carry out the provisions of the DTAs or the domestic laws that concern the taxes applicable to the DTAs. To this end, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) consistently develops its EOI programme and has, in the past decade, circulated administrative issuances to facilitate EOI ...
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) has kept its Tier 1 ranking in M&A and Restructuring and Insolvency in the latest rankings released by IFLR1000, the guide to the world’s leading financial and corporate law firms. Earlier this year, SyCipLaw also received Tier 1 rankings in Banking, Capital markets: Equity, Project development, and in Project finance ...
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) Partners Ricardo Ma. P.G. Ongkiko, Carlos Roberto Z. Lopez, John Christian A. Regalado, and Ma. Patricia B. Paz-Jacoba and Of Counsel Emmanuel M. Lombos have been cited in The Legal 500’s inaugural Arbitration Powerlist: Southeast Asia 2022. This edition of the Private Practice Powerlist, which draws on extensive research by The Legal 500, highlights the region’s leading arbitration lawyers. Mr ...
Under article 253(d) of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), when an association, partnership or corporation commits an act or omission that violates the Tax Code, the penalty "shall be imposed on the partner, president, general manager, branch manager, treasurer, officer-in-charge, and the employees responsible for the violation". This means that any of the persons enumerated may be criminally prosecuted for the corporation or partnership's criminal act or omission under the code ...
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) is once again recognized by Managing IP’s IP STARS 2022 as a Tier 1 firm for its Patent practice. Earlier this year, SyCipLaw was also cited as a Tier 1 firm for its Trade mark work. In addition, the firm’s IP practitioners once again received outstanding rankings this year: Vida M. Panganiban-Alindogan, Partner and Head of IP Department (IPD), Trade Mark StarEnrique T ...
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) has retained its outstanding ranking in the latest IFLR1000 Capital Markets rankings 2022, the guide to the world’s leading financial and corporate law firms: Capital Markets: Equity, Tier 1 Earlier this year, SyCipLaw also received top-tier rankings in Banking and Finance: Banking, Tier 1Project Finance, Tier 1 The latest Banking and Finance and Capital Markets rankings are accessible via the IFLR website ...
On 2 August 2021, the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) adopted Resolution No. 19-21, a temporary measure to support the recovery of registered business enterprises (RBE) during the covid-19 pandemic. The resolution allowed all RBEs in the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) sector to continue implementing work from home (WFH) arrangements until 31 March 2022 without affecting their fiscal incentives ...
Introduction Republic Act No. 11697, or An Act Providing for the Development of the Electric Vehicle Industry (EVIDA Law), became effective on 15 April 2022. The EVIDA Law outlines the regulatory framework and creates a comprehensive roadmap for the operation of electric vehicles (EVs) in the Philippines. It governs "the manufacture, assembly, importation, construction, installation, maintenance, trade and utilization, research and development, and regulation of electric vehicles" ...
Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act On May 06, 2022, Republic Act (RA) No. 11765, or the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act, was signed into law ...
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) has again earned outstanding rankings in IFLR1000 Banking and Finance 2022, the guide to the world’s leading financial and corporate law firms. The firm was cited in the following categories: Banking, Tier 1Project Finance, Tier 1 IFLR1000 remains the only international legal market research brand focused on ranking law firms and lawyers on the basis of financial and corporate transactional work ...
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan (SyCipLaw) has received Tier 1 rankings in “Patents” and “Copyrights/Trademarks” categories in the Philippines on Thomson Reuters’ Asian Legal Business (ALB) IP Rankings for 2022. ALB is a publication that provides insights on legal professionals throughout Asia and identifies and ranks top firms for intellectual property practice in Asia ...
Regulatory Sandbox Framework for Insurtech and Other Regulated Entities Only a small sliver of the Philippine population, less than 2%, avails itself of insurance. This is one of the lowest rates in Asia. Access to mobile phones, however, is ubiquitous and, as such, insurance providers are developing mobile applications to serve, and attract, customers better ...
Introduction On 7 April 2022, the Department of Finance (DOF) issued Revenue Regulation (RR) No. 3-2022 to implement Republic Act (RA) No. 11635. RA No. 11635 provides for income tax on proprietary educational institutions and hospitals, which are non-profit organisations. RR No ...
SmartAir, a social enterprise that educates the public about air pollution, has been shortlisted for the “Powered by Pro Bono Award” at this year’s TrustLaw Awards. This award highlights NGOs or social enterprises that have used pro bono legal advice to scale up their operations, improve the delivery of their social mission or pivot their activities to make a greater impact on the businesses and people they support ...
Developments in light of COVID-19 Unlike previous years, there were no major legislations or government regulations on labor and employment issues in 2021 ...
Introduction Prior to the implementation of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (the CREATE Act), the Philippines adhered to the "cross-border doctrine", under which ecozones and freeport zones were considered foreign territories, even if they were situated within the Philippines ...
