RA 8424: Title IV, Chapter I – Imposition of Tax

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TITLE IV – VALUE ADDED TAX, CHAPTER I – Imposition of Tax

SECTION 105. Persons Liable. – Any person who, in the course of trade or business, sells, barters, exchanges, leases goods or properties, renders services, and any person who imports goods shall be subject to the value-added tax (VAT) imposed in Sections 106 to 108 of this Code.

The value-added tax is an indirect tax and the amount of tax may be shifted or passed on to the buyer, transferee or lessee of the goods, properties or services. This rule shall likewise apply to existing contracts of sale or lease of goods, properties or services at the time of the effectivity of Republic Act No. 7716.

The phrase ‘in the course of trade or business‘ means the regular conduct or pursuit of a commercial or an economic activity, including transactions incidental thereto, by any person regardless of whether or not the person engaged therein is a nonstock, nonprofit private organization (irrespective of the disposition of its net income and whether or not it sells exclusively to members or their guests), or government entity.

The rule of regularity, to the contrary notwithstanding, services as defined in this Code rendered in the Philippines by nonresident foreign persons shall be considered as being rendered in the course of trade or business.

SEC. 106. Value-added Tax on Sale of Goods or Properties. –

(A) Rate and Base of Tax. – There shall be levied, assessed and collected on every sale, barter or exchange of goods or properties, a value-added tax equivalent to twelve percent (12%) of the gross selling price or gross value in money of the goods or properties sold, bartered or exchanged, such tax to be paid by the seller or transferor.

(1) The term ‘goods or properties’ shall mean all tangible and intangible objects which are capable of pecuniary estimation and shall include:

• (a) Real properties held primarily for sale to customers or held for lease in the ordinary course of trade or business;
• (b) The right or the privilege to use patent, copyright, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, goodwill, trademark, trade brand or other like property or right;
• (c) The right or the privilege to use in the Philippines of any industrial, commercial or scientific equipment;
• (d) The right or the privilege to use motion picture films, films, tapes and discs; and
• (e) Radio, television, satellite transmission and cable television time.

The term ‘gross selling price‘ means the total amount of money or its equivalent which the purchaser pays or is obligated to pay to the seller in consideration of the sale, barter or exchange of the goods or properties, excluding the value-added tax. The excise tax, if any, on such goods or properties shall form part of the gross selling price.

(2) The following sales by VAT-registered persons shall be subject to zero percent (0%) rate:

(a) Export Sales. – The term ‘export sales‘ means:

(1) The sale and actual shipment of goods from the Philippines to a foreign country, irrespective of any shipping arrangement that may be agreed upon which may influence or determine the transfer of ownership of the goods so exported and paid for in acceptable foreign currency or its equivalent in goods or services, and accounted for in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP);

(2) Sale and delivery of goods to:

• (i) Registered enterprises within a separate customs territory as provided under special laws; and
• (ii) Registered enterprises within tourism enterprise zones as declared by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) subject to the provisions under Republic Act No. 9593 or The Tourism Act of 2009.

(3) Sale of raw materials or packaging materials to a nonresident buyer for delivery to a resident local export-oriented enterprise to be used in manufacturing, processing, packing or repacking in the Philippines of the said buyer’s goods and paid for in acceptable foreign currency and accounted for in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP);

(4) Sale of raw materials or packaging materials to export-oriented enterprise whose export sales exceed seventy percent (70%) of total annual production;

(5) Those considered export sales under Executive Order No. 226, otherwise known as the Omnibus Investment Code of 1987, and other special laws; and

(6) The sale of goods, supplies, equipment and fuel to persons engaged in international shipping or international air transport operations: Provided, That the goods, supplies, equipment and fuel shall be used for international shipping or air transport operations.

Provided, That subparagraphs (3), (4), and (5) hereof shall be subject to the twelve percent (12%) value-added tax and no longer be considered export sales subject to zero percent (0%) VAT rate upon satisfaction of the following conditions:

• (1) The successful establishment and implementation of an enhanced VAT refund system that grants refunds of creditable input tax within ninety (90) days from the filing of the VAT refund application with the Bureau: Provided, That, to determine the effectivity of item no. 1, all applications filed from January 1, 2018 shall be processed and must be decided within ninety (90) days from the filing of the VAT refund application; and
• (2) All pending VAT refund claims as of December 31, 2017 shall be fully paid in cash by December 31, 2019.

Provided, That the Department of Finance shall establish a VAT refund center in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and in the Bureau of Customs (BOC) that will handle the processing and granting of cash refunds of creditable input tax.

An amount equivalent to five percent (5%) of the total VAT collection of the BIR and the BOC from the immediately preceding year shall be automatically appropriated annually and shall be treated as a special account in the General Fund or as trust receipts for the purpose of funding claims for VAT refund: Provided, That any unused fund, at the end of the year shall revert to the General Fund.

Provided, further, That the BIR and BOC shall be required to submit to the Congressional Oversight Committee on the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (COCCTRP) a quarterly report of all pending claims for refund and any unused fund.

(b) Sales to persons or entities whose exemption under special laws or international agreements to which the Philippines is a signatory effectively subjects such sales to zero rate. (As amended by RA No. 10963 (December 19, 2017)).

(B) Transactions Deemed Sale. – The following transactions shall be deemed sale:

(1) Transfer, use or consumption not in the course of business of goods or properties originally intended for sale or for use in the course of business;

(2) Distribution or transfer to:

• (a) Shareholders or investors as share in the profits of the VAT-registered persons; or
• (b) Creditors in payment of debt;
• (3) Consignment of goods if actual sale is not made within sixty (60) days following the date such goods were consigned; and
• (4) Retirement from or cessation of business with respect to inventories of taxable goods existing as of such retirement or cessation.

(C) Changes in or Cessation of Status of a VAT registered Person. – The tax imposed in Subsection (A) of this Section shall also apply to goods disposed of or existing as of a certain date if under circumstances to be prescribed in rules and regulations to be promulgated by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, the status of a person as a VAT-registered person changes or is terminated.

(D) Sales Returns, Allowances and Sales Discounts. – The value of goods or properties sold and subsequently returned or for which allowances were granted by a VAT-registered person may be deducted from the gross sales or receipts for the quarter in which a refund is made or a credit memorandum or refund is issued. Sales discount granted and indicated in the invoice at the time of sale and the grant of which does not depend upon the happening of a future event may be excluded from the gross sales within the same quarter it was given.

(E) Authority of the Commissioner to Determine the Appropriate Tax Base. – The Commissioner shall, by rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, determine the appropriate tax base in cases where a transaction is deemed a sale, barter or exchange of goods or properties under Subsection (B) hereof, or where the gross selling price is unreasonably lower than the actual market value. (As amended by RA No. 9337 (May 24, 2005))

SEC. 107. Value-added Tax on Importation of Goods. –

(A) In General. – There shall be levied, assessed and collected on every importation of goods a value-added tax equivalent to twelve percent (12%) based on the total value used by the Bureau of Customs in determining tariff and customs duties, plus customs duties, excise taxes, if any, and other charges, such tax to be paid by the importer prior to the release of such goods from customs custody:

Provided, That where the customs duties are determined on the basis of the quantity or volume of the goods, the value-added tax shall be based on the landed cost plus excise taxes, if any. (As amended by RA No. 10963 (December 19, 2017)).

(B) Transfer of Goods by Tax-exempt Persons. – In the case of tax-free importation of goods into the Philippines by persons, entities or agencies exempt from tax where such goods are subsequently sold, transferred or exchanged in the Philippines to non-exempt persons or entities, the purchasers, transferees or recipients shall be considered the importers thereof, who shall be liable for any internal revenue tax on such importation. The tax due on such importation shall constitute a lien on the goods superior to all charges or liens on the goods, irrespective of the possessor thereof. (As amended by RA No. 9337 (May 24, 2005).

SEC. 108. Value-added Tax on Sale of Services and Use or Lease of Properties. –

(A) Rate and Base of Tax. – There shall be levied, assessed and collected, a value-added tax equivalent to twelve percent (12%) of gross receipts derived from the sale or exchange of services, including the use or lease of properties.

The phrase ‘sale or exchange of services‘ means the performance of all kinds of services in the Philippines for others for a fee, remuneration or consideration, including those performed or rendered by construction and service contractors; stock, real estate, commercial, customs and immigration brokers; lessors of property, whether personal or real; warehousing services; lessors or distributors of cinematographic films; persons engaged in milling, processing, manufacturing or repacking goods for others; proprietors, operators or keepers of hotels, motels, resthouses, pension houses, inns, resorts; proprietors or operators of restaurants, refreshment parlors, cafes and other eating places, including clubs and caterers; dealers in securities; lending investors; transportation contractors on their transport of goods or cargoes, including persons who transport goods or cargoes for hire and other domestic common carriers by land relative to their transport of goods or cargoes; common carriers by air and sea relative to their transport of passengers, goods or cargoes from one place in the Philippines to another place in the Philippines; sales of electricity by generation companies, transmission by any entity, and distribution companies, including electric cooperatives; services of franchise grantees of electric utilities, telephone and telegraph, radio and television broadcasting and all other franchise grantees except those under Section 119 of this Code and non-life insurance companies (except their crop insurances), including surety, fidelity, indemnity and bonding companies; and similar services regardless of whether or not the performance thereof calls for the exercise or use of the physical or mental faculties. The phrase ‘sale or exchange of services’ shall likewise include:

• (1) The lease or the use of or the right or privilege to use any copyright, patent, design or model, plan, secret formula or process, goodwill, trademark, trade brand or other like property or right;
• (2) The lease or the use of, or the right to use of any industrial, commercial or scientific equipment;
• (3) The supply of scientific, technical, industrial or commercial knowledge or information;
• (4) The supply of any assistance that is ancillary and subsidiary to and is furnished as a means of enabling the application or enjoyment of any such property, or right as is mentioned in subparagraph (2) or any such knowledge or information as is mentioned in subparagraph (3);
• (5) The supply of services by a nonresident person or his employee in connection with the use of property or rights belonging to, or the installation or operation of any brand, machinery or other apparatus purchased from such nonresident person;
• (6) The supply of technical advice, assistance or services rendered in connection with technical management or administration of any scientific, industrial or commercial undertaking, venture, project or scheme;
• (7) The lease of motion picture films, films, tapes and discs; and
• (8) The lease or the use of or the right to use radio, television, satellite transmission and cable television time.

Lease of properties shall be subject to the tax herein imposed irrespective of the place where the contract of lease or licensing agreement was executed if the property is leased or used in the Philippines.

The term ‘gross receipts‘ means the total amount of money or its equivalent representing the contract price, compensation, service fee, rental or royalty, including the amount charged for materials supplied with the services and deposits and advanced payments actually or constructively received during the taxable quarter for the services performed or to be performed for another person, excluding value-added tax.

(B) Transactions Subject to Zero Percent (0%) Rate. – The following services performed in the Philippines by VAT-registered persons shall be subject to zero percent (0%) rate:

(1) Processing, manufacturing or repacking goods for other persons doing business outside the Philippines which goods are subsequently exported, where the services are paid for in acceptable foreign currency and accounted for in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP);

(2) Services other than those mentioned in the preceding paragraph, rendered to a person engaged in business conducted outside the Philippines or to a nonresident person not engaged in business who is outside the Philippines when the services are performed, the consideration for which is paid for in acceptable foreign currency and accounted for in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP);

(3) Services rendered to persons or entities whose exemption under special laws or international agreements to which the Philippines is a signatory effectively subjects the supply of such services to zero percent (0%) rate;

(4) Services rendered to persons engaged in international shipping or international air transport operations, including leases of property for use thereof: Provided, That these services shall be exclusively for international shipping or air transport operations;

(5) Services performed by subcontractors and/or contractors in processing, converting, or manufacturing goods for an enterprise whose export sales exceed seventy percent (70%) of total annual production;

(6) Transport of passengers and cargo by domestic air or sea vessels from the Philippines to a foreign country; and

(7) Sale of power or fuel generated through renewable sources of energy such as, but not limited to, biomass, solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean energy, and other emerging energy sources using technologies such as fuel cells and hydrogen fuels.

(8) Services rendered to: (Vetoed by the President)

• (i) Registered enterprises within a separate customs territory as provided under special law; and
• (ii) Registered enterprises within tourism enterprise zones as declared by the TIEZA subject to the provisions under Republic Act No. 9593 or The Tourism Act of 2009.

Provided, That subparagraphs (B)(1) and (B)(5) hereof shall be subject to the twelve percent (12%) value-added tax and no longer be subject to zero percent (0%) VAT rate upon satisfaction of the following conditions:

• (1) The successful establishment and implementation of an enhanced VAT refund system that grants refunds of creditable input tax within ninety (90) days from the filing of the VAT refund application with the Bureau: Provided, That, to determine the effectivity of item no. 1, all applications filed from January 1, 2018 shall be processed and must be decided within ninety (90) days from the filing of the VAT refund application; and
• (2) All Pending VAT refund claims as of December 31, 2017 shall be fully paid in cash by December 31, 2019.

The above provisions go against the principle of limiting the VAT zero-rating to direct exporters. The proliferation of separate custom territories, which include buildings, creates significant leakages in our tax system. This makes the tax system highly inequitable and significantly reduces the revenue that could be better used for the poor. As to tourism enterprises, the current law only allows for duty and tax free importation of capital equipment, transportation equipment and other goods. The TIEZA Law explicitly allows only duty and tax free importation of capital equipment, transportation equipment and other goods (in certain cases and always subject to rules provided by the DOF). Thus, this provision actually grants a new incentive to suppliers of registered tourism enterprises. At any rate, TIEZA law, which is still in effect for two more years, can be used to avail of the above-mentioned incentives.

(9) Services rendered to offshore gaming tax under Section 125-A of this Code by service providers, including accredited service providers as defined in Section 27 (G) of this Code.

(C) Sales Allowances and Sales Discounts – the value of service rendered for which allowances were granted by a vat-registered person may be deducted from the gross sales for the quarter in which a refund is made or a credit memorandum or refund is issued. Sales discount granted and indicated in the invoice at the time of sale and the grant of which does not depend upon the happening of a future event may be excluded from the gross sales within the same quarter it was given.”

SEC. 109. Exempt Transactions. – (1) Subject to the provisions of Subsection (2) hereof, the following transactions shall be exempt from the value-added tax:

(A) Sale or importation of agricultural and marine food products in their original state, livestock and poultry of a kind generally used as, or yielding or producing foods for human consumption; and breeding stock and genetic materials therefor.

Products classified under this paragraph shall be considered in their original state even if they have undergone the simple processes of preparation or preservation for the market, such as freezing, drying, salting, broiling, roasting, smoking or stripping. Polished and/or husked rice, corn grits, raw sugar or raw cane sugar and molasses, ordinary salt and copra shall be considered in their original state; For this purpose, notwithstanding the process/es involved in its production, ‘raw sugar or raw cane sugar’ means sugar whose content of sucrose by weight, in the dry state, corresponds to a polarimeter reading of less than 99.5 degrees. (As amended by RA No. 9337 (May 24, 2005), RA No. 10864 (June 10, 2016)).

(B) Sale or importation of fertilizers; seeds, seedlings and fingerlings; fish, prawn, livestock and poultry feeds, including ingredients, whether locally produced or imported, used in the manufacture of finished feeds (except specialty feeds for race horses, fighting cocks, aquarium fish, zoo animals and other animals generally considered as pets);

(C) Importation of personal and household effects belonging to the residents of the Philippines returning from abroad and nonresident citizens coming to resettle in the Philippines: Provided, That such goods are exempt from customs duties under the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines;

(D) Importation of professional instruments and implements, tools of trade, occupation or employment, wearing apparel, domestic animals, and personal and household effects belonging to persons coming to settle in the Philippines or Filipinos or their families and descendants who are now residents or citizens of other countries, such parties hereinafter referred to as overseas Filipinos, in quantities and of the class suitable to the profession, rank or position of the persons importing said items, for their own use and not for barter or sale, accompanying such persons, or arriving within a reasonable time: Provided, That the Bureau of Customs may, upon the production of satisfactory evidence that such persons are actually coming to settle in the Philippines and that the goods are brought from their former place of abode, exempt such goods from payment of duties and taxes:

Provided, further, That vehicles, vessels, aircrafts, machineries and other similar goods for use in manufacture, shall not fall within this classification and shall therefore be subject to duties, taxes and other charges;

(E) Services subject to percentage tax under Title V;

(F) Services by agricultural contract growers and milling for others of palay into rice, corn into grits and sugar cane into raw sugar;

(G) Medical, dental, hospital and veterinary services except those rendered by professionals;

(H) Educational services rendered by private educational institutions, duly accredited by the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and those rendered by government educational institutions;

(I) Services rendered by individuals pursuant to an employer-employee relationship;

(J) Services rendered by regional or area headquarters established in the Philippines by multinational corporations which act as supervisory, communications and coordinating centers for their affiliates, subsidiaries or branches in the Asia-Pacific Region and do not earn or derive income from the Philippines;

(K) Transactions which are exempt under international agreements to which the Philippines is a signatory or under special laws, except those under Presidential Decree No. 529;

(L) Sales by agricultural cooperatives duly registered with the Cooperative Development Authority to their members as well as sale of their produce, whether in its original state or processed form, to non-members; their importation of direct farm inputs, machineries and equipment, including spare parts thereof, to be used directly and exclusively in the production and/or processing of their produce;

(M) Gross receipts from lending activities by credit or multi-purpose cooperatives duly registered with the Cooperative Development Authority;

(N) Sales by non-agricultural, non-electric and non-credit cooperatives duly registered with the Cooperative Development Authority: Provided, That the share capital contribution of each member does not exceed Fifteen thousand pesos (P15,000) and regardless of the aggregate capital and net surplus ratably distributed among the members;

(O) Export sales by persons who are not VAT-registered;

(P) Sale of real properties not primarily held for sale to customers or held for lease in the ordinary course of trade or business or real property utilized for low-cost and socialized housing as defined by Republic Act No. 7279, otherwise known as the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992, and other related laws, residential lot valued at One million five hundred thousand pesos (P1,500,000) and below, house and lot, and other residential dwellings valued at Two million five hundred thousand pesos (P2,500,000) and below: Provided, That beginning January 1, 2021, the VAT exemption shall only apply to sale of real properties not primarily held for sale to customers or held for lease in the ordinary course of trade or business, sale of real property utilized for socialized housing as defined by Republic Act No. 7279, sale of house and lot, and other residential dwellings with selling price of not more than Two million pesos (P2,000,000): Provided, further, That every three (3) years thereafter, the amount herein stated shall be adjusted to its present value using the Consumer Price Index, as published by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA); (Note: Proposed amendment of RA 11534 (March 26, 2021) has been Vetoed)

(Q) Lease of a residential unit with a monthly rental not exceeding Fifteen thousand pesos (P15,000);

(R) Sale, importation, printing or publication of books, and any newspaper, magazine, journal, review bulletin, or any such educational reading material covered by the UNESCO Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials, including the digital or electronic format thereof: Provided, That the materials enumerated herein are not devoted principally to the publication of paid advertisements; (As amended by RA 11534 (March 26, 2021)).

(S) Transport of passengers by international carriers;

(T) Sale, importation or lease of passenger or cargo vessels and aircraft, including engine, equipment and spare parts thereof for domestic or international transport operations;

(U) Importation of fuel, goods and supplies by persons engaged in international shipping or air transport operations: Provided, That the fuel, goods, and supplies shall be used for international shipping or air transport operations;

(V) Services of bank, non-bank financial intermediaries performing quasi-banking functions, and other non-bank financial intermediaries;

(W) Sale or lease of goods and services to senior citizens and persons with disability, as provided under Republic Act Nos. 9994 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010) and 10754 (An Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability), respectively;

(X) Transfer of property pursuant to Section 40(C)(2) of the NIRC, as amended;

(Y) ssociation dues, membership fees, and other assessments and charges collected by homeowners associations and condominium corporations;

(Z) Sale of gold to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP);

“(AA) Sale of a importation of prescription drugs and medicines for:

• (i) Diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension beginning January 1, 2020; and
• (ii) Cancer, mental illness, tuberculosis, and kidney diseases beginning January 1, 2021:

Provided, That the DOH shall issue a list of approved drugs and medicines for this purpose within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act: and (As amended by RA No. 11534 (March 26, 2021))

(BB) Sale or importation of the following beginning January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023:

• (i) Capital equipment, its spare parts and raw materials, necessary for the production of personal protective equipment components such as coveralls, gown, surgical cap, surgical mask, n-95 mask, scrub suits, googles and face shield, double or surgical gloves, dedicated shoes, and shoe covers, for covid-19 prevention;
• (ii) All drugs, vaccines and medical devices specifically prescribed and directly uses for the treatment of covid-19; and
• (iii) Drugs for the  treatment of covid-19 approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in clinical trials, including raw materials directly necessary for the production of such drugs: Provided, That the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) shall certify that such equipment, spare parts or raw materials for importation are not locally available or insufficient in quantity, or not in accordance with the quality or specification required: Provided, Further, that for item (ii), within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this act, and every three (3) months thereafter, the Department Of Health (DOH) shall issue a list of prescription drugs and medical devices covered by this provision: Provided, Finally, that the exemption claimed under this subsection shall be subject to post audit by the Bureau of Internal Revenue or the Bureau of Customs as may be applicable. (As amended by RA No. 11534 (March 26, 2021)).

(CC) Sale or lease of goods or properties of the performance of services other than transactions mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, the gross annual sales and /or receipts do not exceed the amount of Three million pesos (P3,000,000). (As renumbered by RA No. 11534 (March 26, 2021)).

(As amended by RA No.9238 (February 5, 2004)), RA No. 9337 (May 24, 2005), RA No. 10378 (March 7, 2013), RA No. 10963 (December 19, 2017), RA No. 11534 (March 26, 2021)).

SEC. 110.       Tax Credits. –

(A) Creditable input Tax. –

(1) Any input tax evidenced by a VAT invoice or official receipt issued in accordance with Section 113 hereof on the following transactions shall be creditable against the output tax:

(a) Purchase or importation of goods:

(1) For sale; or

• (ii) For conversion into or intended to form part of a finished product for sale including packaging materials; or
• (iii) For use as supplies in the course of business; or
• (iv) For use as materials supplied in the sale of service; or
• (v) For use in trade or business for which deduction for depreciation or amortization is allowed under this Code.

(b) Purchase of services on which a value-added tax has actually been paid.

(2) The input tax on domestic purchase or importation of goods or properties by a VAT-registered person shall be creditable:

• (a) To the purchaser upon consummation of sale and on importation of goods or properties; and
• (b) To the importer upon payment of the value-added tax prior to the release of the goods from the custody of the Bureau of Customs.

Provided, That the input tax on goods purchased or imported in a calendar month for use in trade or business for which deduction for depreciation is allowed under this Code shall be spread evenly over the month of acquisition and the fifty-nine (59) succeeding months if the aggregate acquisition cost for such goods, excluding the VAT component thereof, exceeds One million pesos (P1,000,000): Provided, however, That if the estimated useful life of the capital good is less than five (5) years, as used for depreciation purposes, then the input VAT shall be spread over such a shorter period: Provided, further, That the amortization of the input VAT shall only be allowed until December 31, 2021 after which taxpayers with unutilized input VAT on capital goods purchased or imported shall be allowed to apply the same as scheduled until fully utilized: Provided, finally, That in the case of purchase of services, lease or use of properties, the input tax shall be creditable to the purchaser, lessee or licensee upon payment of the compensation, rental, royalty or fee. (As amended by RA No. 10963 (December 19, 2017)).

(3) A VAT-registered person who is also engaged in transactions not subject to the value-added tax shall be allowed tax credit as follows:

• (a) Total input tax which can be directly attributed to transactions subject to value-added tax; and
• (b) A ratable portion of any input tax which cannot be directly attributed to either activity.

The term ‘input tax‘ means the value-added tax due from or paid by a VAT-registered person in the course of his trade or business on importation of goods or local purchase of goods or services, including lease or use of property, from a VAT-registered person. It shall also include the transitional input tax determined in accordance with Section 111 of this Code.

The term ‘output tax‘ means the value-added tax due on the sale or lease of taxable goods or properties or services by any person registered or required to register under Section 236 of this Code.

(B) Excess Output or Input Tax. – If at the end of any taxable quarter the output tax exceeds the input tax, the excess shall be paid by the VAT-registered person. If the input tax exceeds the output tax, the excess shall be carried over to the succeeding quarter or quarters: Provided, however, That any input tax attributable to zero-rated sales by a VAT-registered person may at his option be refunded or credited against other internal revenue taxes, subject to the provisions of Section 112.” (As amended by RA 9337 (May 24, 2005), RA No. 9361 (Nov. 21, 2006))

(C) Determination of Creditable Input Tax. – The sum of the excess input tax carried over from the preceding month or quarter and the input tax creditable to a VAT-registered person during the taxable month or quarter shall be reduced by the amount of claim for refund or tax credit for value-added tax and other adjustments, such as purchase returns or allowances and input tax attributable to exempt sale.

The claim for tax credit referred to in the foregoing paragraph shall include not only those filed with the Bureau of Internal Revenue but also those filed with other government agencies, such as the Board of Investments and the Bureau of Customs. (As amended by RA No. 9337 (May 24, 2005))

(D) Output VAT credit on uncollected receivables – a seller of goods or services may deduct the output VAT pertaining to uncollected receivables from its output VAT on the next quarter, after the lapse of the agreed upon period to pay: provided, that the seller has fully paid the VAT on the transaction: provided, further, that the VAT component of the uncollected receivables has not been claimed as allowable deduction under section 34(e) of this Code.

In case of recovery of uncollected receivables, the output VAT pertaining thereto shall be added to the output VAT of the taxpayer during the period of recovery.”

SEC. 111. Transitional/Presumptive Input Tax Credits. –

(A) Transitional Input Tax Credits. – A person who becomes liable to value-added tax or any person who elects to be a VAT-registered person shall, subject to the filing of an inventory according to rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner, be allowed input tax on his beginning inventory of goods, materials and supplies equivalent to two percent (2%) of the value of such inventory or the actual value-added tax paid on such goods, materials and supplies, whichever is higher, which shall be creditable against the output tax.

(B) Presumptive Input Tax Credits. -Persons or firms engaged in the processing of sardines, mackerel and milk, and in manufacturing refined sugar, cooking oil and packed noodle-based instant meals, shall be allowed a presumptive input tax, creditable against the output tax, equivalent to four percent (4%) of the gross value in money of their purchases of primary agricultural products which are used as inputs to their production.

As used in this Subsection, the term ‘processing’ shall mean pasteurization, canning and activities which through physical or chemical process alter the exterior texture or form or inner substance of a product in such manner as to prepare it for special use to which it could not have been put in its original form or condition. (As amended by RA No. 9337 (May 24, 2005))

SEC. 112. Refunds or Tax Credits of Input Tax. –

(A) Zero-Rated or Effectively Zero-Rated Sales. – Any VAT-registered person, whose sales are zero- rated or effectively zero-rated may, within two (2) years after the close of the taxable quarter when the sales were made, apply for the issuance of a tax credit certificate or refund of creditable input tax due or paid attributable to such sales, except transitional input tax, to the extent that such input tax has not been applied against output tax: Provide, however, That in the case of zero-rated sales under Section 106(A)(2)(a)(1), (2) and (b) and Section 108(B)(1) and (2), the acceptable foreign currency exchange proceeds thereof had been duly accounted for in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP): Provided, further, That where the taxpayer is engaged in zero-rated or effectively zero-rated sale and also in taxable or exempt sale of goods or properties or services, and the amount of creditable input tax due or paid cannot be directly and entirely attributed to any one of the transactions, it shall be allocated proportionately on the basis of the volume of sales: Provided, finally, That for a person making sales that are zero-rated under Section 108(B)(6), the input taxes shall be allocated ratably between his zero-rated and non-zero-rated sales.

(B) Cancellation of VAT Registration. – A person whose registration has been cancelled due to retirement from or cessation of business, or due to changes in or cessation of status under Section 106(C) of this Code may, within two (2) years from the date of cancellation, apply for the issuance of a tax credit certificate for any unused input tax which may be used in payment of his other internal revenue taxes.

(C) Period within which Refund of Input Taxes shall be Made. – In proper cases, the Commissioner shall grant a refund for creditable input taxes within ninety (90) days from the date of submission of the official receipts or invoices and other documents in support of the application filed in accordance with Subsections (A) and (B) hereof: Provided, That should the Commissioner find that the grant of refund is not proper, the Commissioner must state in writing the legal and factual basis for the denial.

In case of full or partial denial of the claim for tax refund, the taxpayer affected may, within thirty (30) days from the receipt of the decision denying the claim, appeal the decision with the Court of Tax Appeals: Provided, however, That failure on the part of any official, agent, or employee of the BIR to act on the application within the ninety (90)-day period shall be punishable under Section 269 of this Code. (As amended by RA No. 10963 (December 19, 2017)).

(D) Manner of Giving Refund. – Refunds shall be made upon warrants drawn by the Commissioner or by his duly authorized representative without the necessity of being countersigned by the Chairman, Commission on Audit, the provisions of the Administrative Code of 1987 to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided, That refunds under this paragraph shall be subject to post audit by the Commission on Audit. (As amended by RA No. 9337 (May 24, 2005)).

(Manual encoding credits: Jacky Margaret Adriano)