Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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* SECOND DIVISION.
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a tax exemption are specified by the law granting it. The power of
Congress to tax implies the power to exempt from tax. Congress can
create tax exemptions, subject to the constitutional provision that
„[n]o law granting any tax exemption shall be passed without the
concurrence of a majority of all the Members of Congress.‰ The
requirements for a tax exemption are strictly construed against the
taxpayer because an exemption restricts the collection of taxes
necessary for the existence of the government.
Same; Same; Income Taxation; Real Estate Taxes; For real
property taxes, the incidental generation of income is permissible
because the test of exemption is the use of the property; The effect of
failing to meet the use requirement is simply to remove from the tax
exemption that portion of the property not devoted to charity.―For
real property taxes, the incidental generation of income is
permissible because the test of exemption is the use of the property.
The Constitution provides that „[c]haritable institutions, churches
and personages or convents appurtenant thereto, mosques, non-
profit cemeteries, and all lands, buildings, and improvements,
actually, directly, and exclusively used for religious, charitable, or
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does not automatically exempt St. LukeÊs from paying taxes. This
only refers to the organization of St. LukeÊs. Even if St. LukeÊs
meets the test of charity, a charitable institution is not ipso facto
tax exempt. To be exempt from real property taxes, Section 28(3),
Article VI of the Constitution requires that a charitable institution
use the property „actually, directly and exclusively‰ for charitable
purposes. To be exempt from income taxes, Section 30(E) of the
NIRC requires that a charitable institution must be „organized
and operated exclusively‰ for charitable purposes. Likewise, to
be exempt from income taxes, Section 30(G) of the NIRC requires
that the institution be „operated exclusively‰ for social welfare.
Same; Same; Even if the charitable institution must be
„organized and operated exclusively‰ for charitable purposes, it is
nevertheless allowed to engage in „activities conducted for profit‰
without losing its tax exempt status for its not-for-profit
activities.―Even if the charitable institution must be „organized
and operated exclusively‰ for charitable purposes, it is nevertheless
allowed to engage in „activities conducted for profit‰ without losing
its tax exempt status for its not-for-profit activities. The only
consequence is that the „income of whatever kind and
character‰ of a charitable institution „from any of its activities
conducted for profit, regardless of the disposition made of
such income, shall be subject to tax.‰ Prior to the introduction
of Section 27(B), the tax rate on such income from for-profit
activities was the ordinary corporate rate under Section 27(A). With
the introduction of Section 27(B), the tax rate is now 10%.
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CARPIO, J.:
The Case
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The Facts
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1 The consolidation of the petitions is pursuant to the Resolution of this
Court dated 4 April 2011. Rollo (G.R. No. 195960), p. 9.
2 This Resolution denied the motions filed by both parties to reconsider the
CTA En Banc Decision dated 19 November 2010.
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3 CTA First Division Decision dated 23 February 2009, citing the
earlier decision in St. LukeÊs Medical Center, Inc. v. Commissioner of
Internal Revenue, CTA Case No. 6993, 21 November 2008. Rollo (G.R. No.
195909), p. 68.
4 This prompted St. LukeÊs to file an Amended Petition for Review on
12 December 2003 before the First Division of the CTA.
5 CTA First Division Decision, citing the Answer filed by the BIR
before the CTA. Rollo (G.R. No. 195909), p. 62.
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Center, Inc.
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6 Id., at p. 63.
7 Id., at pp. 65-67.
8 Id., at p. 67. The operating expenses of St. LukeÊs consisted of
professional care of patients, administrative, household and property
expenses.
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9 This income in the amount of P17,482,304 was declared by St. LukeÊs as
„Other Income-Net‰ in its 1998 Income Tax Return/Audited Statements of
Revenues and Expenses.
10 CONSTITUTION, Art. VIII, Sec. 5(2)(e). Except for criminal cases where the
penalty imposed is reclusion perpetua or higher, the enumeration under Article
VIII, Section 5(1) and (2) of the Constitution generally involves a question of
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law.
11 RULES OF COURT, Rule 45, Sec. 1.
12 CONSTITUTION, Art. VIII, Sec. 5(2)(e). See note 10.
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13 Rollo (G.R. No. 195909), pp. 82-83. Emphases in the original.
14 See note 9. This is one of the errors assigned by St. LukeÊs in its
petition before this Court.
15 Rollo (G.R. No. 195909), p. 65. The revised total deficiency income
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19 Id., at p. 41; p. 229 citing 51 Am. Jur. 607.
20 95 Phil. 16 (1954).
21 Commonwealth Act No. 466, as amended by Republic Act No. 82,
Sec. 27 provides: Exemption from tax on corporation.―The following
organizations shall not be taxed under this Title in respect to income
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The Issue
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23 Id.
24 The CTA adopted its earlier interpretation in St. LukeÊs Medical
Center, Inc. v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue. Supra note 16.
25 Rollo (G.R. No. 195909), p. 76. Italics in the original.
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26 410 Phil. 241; 358 SCRA 38 (2001).
27 Id., at p. 257; pp. 49-50; Rollo (G.R. No. 195960), pp. 15-16.
28 Rollo (G.R. No. 195960), p. 24.
29 Id., at p. 50.
30 NIRC, Sec. 248(A)(3).
31 NIRC, Sec. 249(C)(3) provides: „A deficiency tax, or any surcharge
or interest thereon on the due date appearing in the notice and demand
of the Commissioner, there shall be assessed and collected on the unpaid
amount, interest at the rate prescribed in Subsection (A) hereof until the
amount is fully paid, which interest shall form part of the tax.‰
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32 CTA En Banc Resolution dated 1 March 2011. Rollo (G.R. No.
195909), p. 56.
Section 249 of the NIRC provides:
(A) In General.―There shall be assessed and collected on any unpaid
amount of tax, interest at the rate of twenty percent (20%) per annum, or
such higher rate as may be prescribed by rules and regulations, from the
date prescribed for its payment until the amount is fully paid.
(B) Deficiency Interest.―Any deficiency in the tax due, as the term is
defined in this Code, shall be subject to the interest prescribed in
Subsection (A) hereof, which interest shall be assessed and collected from
the date prescribed for its payment until the full payment thereof.
xxxx
33 Id., at pp. 21-27. Section 27(E) of the NIRC of 1977 provides:
Sec. 27. Exemptions from tax on corporations.―The following
organizations shall not be taxed under this Title in respect to income
received by them as such―
xxxx
(E) Corporation or association organized and operated exclusively
for religious, charitable, scientific, athletic, or cultural pur-
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poses, or for the rehabilitation of veterans, no part of the net income of
which inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual.
xxxx
34 See Comment of St. LukeÊs dated 19 September 2011 in G.R. No.
195909. Id., at pp. 105-116.
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person;
xxxx
(G) Civic league or organization not organized for profit but
operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare;
xxxx
Notwithstanding the provisions in the preceding paragraphs, the
income of whatever kind and character of the foregoing
organizations from any of their properties, real or personal, or
from any of their activities conducted for profit regardless
of the disposition made of such income, shall be subject to
tax imposed under this Code. (Emphasis supplied)
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35 Id., at pp. 106-108.
36 Cf. NIRC, Sec. 30(H).
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37 115 Phil. 310; 5 SCRA 321 (1962).
38 Id., at p. 311; p. 322.
39 Id., at p. 314; p. 324.
40 G.R. No. 144104, 29 June 2004, 433 SCRA 119.
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41 Id., at pp. 128-129. Emphasis supplied.
42 For further discussion of the Subsidy Theory of Tax Exemption, see
H. Hansmann, The Rationale for Exempting Nonprofit Organizations
from Corporate Income Taxation, 91 YALE L. J. 54 (1981) at 66-75. See
also M. Hall & J. Colombo, The Charitable Status of Nonprofit Hospitals:
Toward a Donative Theory of Tax Exemption, 66 WASH. L. REV. 307
(1991).
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Center, Inc.
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43 CONSTITUTION, Art. VI, Sec. 28(4).
44 Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. The Philippine American
Accident Insurance Company, Inc., 493 Phil. 785; 453 SCRA 668 (2005);
Lung Center of the Philippines v. Quezon City, supra note 40 at pp. 133-
134; Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority v. Marcos, 330 Phil.
392; 261 SCRA 667 (1996); Manila Electric Company v. Vera, 160-A Phil.
498; 67 SCRA 351 (1975).
45 Supra note 18.
46 Supra note 20.
47 Lung Center of the Philippines v. Quezon City, supra note 40 at pp.
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48 CONSTITUTION, Art. VI, Sec. 28(3).
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49 CORPORATION Code (B.P. Blg. 68), Sec. 87.
50 Id.
51 Supra note 40. Emphasis supplied.
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52 Since the exemption is proportional to the revenue of the
institution, Hall & Colombo say that „a general tax exemption suffers
from the same Âupside downÊ effect as many tax deductions: those entities
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54 Supra note 40 at p. 137. Emphasis supplied; citations omitted.
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55 Jesus Sacred Heart College v. Collector of Internal Revenue, supra note 20
at pp. 20-21.
56 Lung Center of the Philippines v. Quezon City, supra note 40.
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57 Supra note 20 at p. 29.
58 Supra note 20 at p. 23. Jesus Sacred Heart College distinguished
an educational institution from a charitable institution: „More important
still, the law applied in the case relied upon by [the BIR] exempted from
taxation only such educational institutions as were established for
charitable or philanthropic purposes. Consequently, the amount of
fees charged or the intent to collect more than the cost of
operation or instruction was material to the determination of
such purpose. Upon the other hand, under Section 27(e) of [the old]
National Internal Revenue Code, as amended, an institution operated
exclusively for educational purposes need not have, in addition thereto, a
charitable or philanthropic character, to be exempt from taxation,
provided only that no part of its net income Âinures to the benefit of any
private stockholder or individual.ʉ (Italics in the original; emphasis
supplied)
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59 Italics supplied.
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60 See CTA First Division Decision dated 23 February 2009. Rollo
(G.R. No. 195909), p. 69.
61 533 Phil. 101; 501 SCRA 450 (2006).
62 Id., at pp. 108-109; p. 460.
** Designated Acting Member per Special Order No. 1308 dated 21
September 2012.
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――o0o――
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