Section 11. Section 30 of the National Internal Revenue Code, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"Section 30.Deductions from gross income. — In computing taxable income subject to tax under Sec. 21(a); 24(a), (b) and (c); and 25(a) (1), there shall be allowed as deductions the items specified in paragraphs (a) to (i) of this section.

In the case of an individual, the optional standard deduction under paragraph (k) shall be allowed in lieu of itemized deductions under said paragraphs (a) to (i). In addition, the appropriate personal and additional exemptions allowed under paragraph (l) may be claimed by an individual whose income is subject to tax under Section 21(a): Provided, That no deductions other than the deduction provided in paragraph (l) may be allowed from compensation income arising from personal services rendered under an employer-employee relationship.

(a)Expenses. — (1) Business expenses. — (A) In general. — All ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business, including a reasonable allowance for salaries or other compensation for personal services actually rendered; travelling expenses while away from home in the pursuit of a trade, profession or business, rentals or other payments required to be made as a condition to the continued use or possession, for the purpose of the trade, profession or business, of property to which the taxpayer has not taken or is not taking title or in which he has no equity.

(2)Expenses allowable to private educational institutions. — In addition to the expenses allowable as deductions under subparagraph (a) (1) (A) above, a private educational institution, referred to under Section 24(b) of this Code, may at its option elect either (A) to deduct expenditures otherwise considered as capital outlays of depreciable assets incurred during the taxable year for the expansion of school facilities or (B) to deduct allowance for depreciation thereof under paragraph (f) of this section.

(b)Interest. — (1) In general. — The amount of interest paid or accrued within a taxable year on indebtedness in connection with the taxpayer's profession, trade or business, except on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry obligation the interest upon which is exempt from taxation as income under this Title.

(2)No deduction shall be allowed in respect of interest under the succeeding sub-paragraphs:

(i)If within the taxable year an individual taxpayer reporting income on the cash basis incurs an indebtedness on which an interest is paid in advance through discount or otherwise: Provided, That such interest shall be allowed as a deduction in the year the indebtedness is paid: and Provided, further, That if the indebtedness is payable in periodic amortizations, the amount of interest which corresponds to the amount of the principal amortized or paid during the year shall be allowed as deduction in such taxable year.

(ii)If both the taxpayer and the person to whom the payment has been made or is to be made are persons specified under Section 31 (b).

(iii)If the indebtedness is incurred to finance petroleum exploration.

(c)Taxes. — (1) In general. — Taxes paid or accrued within the taxable year in connection with the taxpayer's profession, trade or business, except:

(A)The income tax provided for under this Title;

(B)Income, war profits, and excess profits taxes imposed by authority of any foreign country; but this deduction shall be allowed in the case of a taxpayer who does not signify in his return his desire to have to any extent the benefits of paragraph (3) of this subsection (relating to credits for taxes of foreign countries);

(C)Estate and gift taxes;

(D)Taxes assessed against local benefits of a kind tending to increase the value of the property assessed; and

(E)Electric energy consumption tax imposed by Batas Pambansa Blg. 36.

(2)Limitations on deductions. — (A) In the case of a nonresident alien individual and a foreign corporation, the deductions for taxes provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection (c) shall be allowed only if and to the extent that they are connected with income from sources within the Philippines; and

(B)In the case of a citizen of a foreign country residing in the Philippines whose income from sources within such foreign country is not taxable under this Title, only that portion of the taxes paid to such foreign country which corresponds to his taxable income under this Title shall be allowed as deduction.

(3)Credit against tax for taxes of foreign countries. — If the taxpayer signifies in his return his desire to have the benefits of this paragraph, the tax imposed by this Title shall be credited with:

(A)Citizen and domestic corporation. — In the case of a citizen of the Philippines and of a domestic corporation, the amount of any income, war profits, and excess profits taxes paid or accrued during the taxable year to any foreign country;

(B)Alien resident of the Philippines. — In the case of an alien resident of the Philippines, the amount of any such taxes paid or accrued during the taxable year to any foreign country; if the foreign country of which such alien resident is a citizen or subject, in imposing such taxes allows a similar credit to citizens of the Philippines residing in such country; and

(C)Partnerships and estates. — In the case of any such individual who is a member of a general professional partnership or a beneficiary of an estate or trust, his proportionate share of such taxes of the general professional partnership or the estate or trust paid or accrued during the taxable year to a foreign country, if his distributive share of the income of such partnership or trust is reported for taxation under this Title.

Nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations shall not be allowed the credits against the tax for the taxes of foreign countries allowed under this paragraph.

(4)Limitations on credit. — The amount of the credit taken under this section shall be subject to each of the following limitations:

(A)The amount of the credit in respect to the tax paid or accrued to any country shall not exceed the same proportion of the tax against which such credit is taken, which the taxpayer's taxable income from sources within such country under this Title bears to his entire taxable income for the same taxable year; and

(B)The total amount of the credit shall not exceed the same proportion of the tax against which such credit is taken, which the taxpayer's taxable income from sources without the Philippines taxable under this Title bears to his entire taxable income for the same taxable year.

(5)Adjustments on payment of accrued taxes. — If accrued taxes when paid differ from the amounts claimed as credits by the taxpayer, or if any tax paid is refunded in whole or in part, the taxpayer shall notify the Commissioner, who shall redetermine the amount of the tax for the year or years affected, and the amount of tax due upon such redetermination, if any, shall be paid by the taxpayer upon notice and demand by the Commissioner, or the amount of tax overpaid, if any, shall be credited or refunded to the taxpayer. In the case of such a tax accrued but not paid, the Commissioner as a condition precedent to the allowance of this credit may require the taxpayer to give a bond with sureties satisfactory to and to be approved by the Commissioner in such sum as he may require, conditioned upon the payment by the taxpayer of any amount of tax found due upon any such redetermination. The bond herein prescribed shall contain such further conditions as the Commissioner may require.

(6)Year in which credit taken. — The credits provided for in paragraph (c) (3) may, at the option of the taxpayer and irrespective of the method of accounting employed in keeping his books, be taken in the year in which the taxes of the foreign country accrued, subject, however, to the conditions prescribed in paragraph (c) (5) . If the taxpayer elects to take such credits in the year in which the taxes of the foreign country accrued, the credits for all subsequent years shall be taken upon the same basis, and no portion of any such taxes shall be allowed as a deduction in the same or any succeeding year.

(7)Proof of credits. — The credits provided in paragraph (c) (3) shall be allowed only if the taxpayer establishes to the satisfaction of the Commissioner (A) the total amount of income derived from sources without the Philippines, (B) the amount of income derived from each country, the tax paid or accrued to which is claimed as a credit under said paragraph, such amount to be determined under rules and regulations prescribed by the Minister of Finance, and (C) all other information necessary for the verification and computation of such credits.

(8)Taxes of foreign subsidiary. — For purposes of this subsection a domestic corporation, which owns a majority of the voting stock of a foreign corporation from which it receives dividends in any taxable year shall be deemed to have paid the same proportion of any income, war profits, or excess profits taxes paid by such foreign corporation to any foreign country, upon or with respect to the accumulated profits of such foreign corporation from which such dividends were paid which the amount of such dividend bears to the amount of such accumulated profits: Provided, That the amount of tax deemed to have been paid under this subsection shall in no case exceed the same proportion of the tax against which credit is taken which the amount of such dividends bears to the amount of the entire taxable income of the domestic corporation in which such dividends are included. The term 'accumulated profits' when used in this subsection in reference to a foreign corporation, means the amount of its gains, profits, or income in excess of the income, war profits, and excess profits taxes imposed upon or with respect to such profits or income; and the Commissioner shall have full power to determine from the accumulated profits of what year or years such dividends were paid, treating dividends paid in the first 60 days of any year as having been paid from the accumulated profits of the preceding year or years (unless to his satisfaction shown otherwise), and in other respects treating dividends as having been paid from the most recently accumulated gains, profits, or earnings. In the case of a foreign corporation, the income, war profits, and excess profits taxes of which are determined on the basis of an accounting period of less than one year, the word 'year' as used in this subsection shall be construed to mean such accounting period.

(9)Taxes of shareholder paid by corporation. — The deduction for taxes allowed by paragraph (c) shall be allowed to a corporation in the case of taxes imposed upon a shareholder of the corporation upon his interest as shareholder which are paid by the corporation without reimbursement from the shareholder, but in such cases no deduction shall be allowed the shareholder for the amount of such taxes.

(d)Losses. — (1) By individuals. — In the case of an individual, losses actually sustained during the taxable year and not compensated for by insurance or otherwise:

(A)If incurred in trade, profession, or business;

(B)If incurred in any transaction entered into for profit, though not connected with the trade or business;

(C)Of property connected with the trade or business, if the loss arises from fires, storms, shipwreck, or other casualties, or from robbery, theft, or embezzlement. The Minister of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations prescribing, among other things, the time and manner by which the taxpayer shall submit a declaration of loss sustained from casualty or from robbery, theft, or embezzlement during the taxable year: Provided however, That the time to be so prescribed in the regulations shall not be less than 30 days nor more than 90 days from the date of the occurrence of the casualty or robbery, theft, or embezzlement giving rise to the loss.

(D)No loss shall be allowed as a deduction under this paragraph if at the time of the filing of the return, such loss has been claimed as a deduction for estate tax purposes in the estate tax return.

(2)By corporation. — In the case of a corporation, all losses actually sustained and charged off within the taxable year and not compensated for by insurance or otherwise.

(3)Proof of loss. — In the case of a nonresident alien individual or foreign corporation, the losses deductible are those actually sustained during the year incurred in business or trade conducted within the Philippines, and losses actually sustained during the year in transactions entered into for profit in the Philippines although not connected with their business or trade, when such losses are not compensated for by insurance or otherwise. The Minister of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations prescribing, among other things, the time and manner by which the taxpayer shall submit a declaration of loss sustained from casualty or from robbery, theft, or embezzlement during the taxable year: Provided, That the time to be so prescribed in the regulations shall not be less than 30 days nor more than 90 days from the date of the occurrence of the casualty or robbery, theft, or embezzlement giving rise to the loss.

(4)Capital losses. — (A) Limitation. — Losses from sales or exchanges of capital assets shall be allowed only to the extent provided in Section 34.

(B)Securities becoming worthless. — If securities as defined in Section 20 become worthless during the taxable year and are capital assets, the loss resulting therefrom shall, for the purposes of this Title, be considered as a loss from the sale or exchange, on the last day of such taxable year, of capital assets.

(5)Losses on wash sales of stock or securities. — Losses on 'wash sales' of stock or securities as provided in Section 33.

(6)Wagering losses. — Losses from wagering transactions shall be allowed only to the extent of the gains from such transactions.

(7)Abandonment losses. — (A) In the event a contract area where petroleum operations are undertaken is partially or wholly abandoned, all accumulated exploration and development expenditures pertaining thereto shall be allowed as a deduction: Provided, That accumulated expenditures incurred in that area prior to January 1, 1979, shall be allowed as a deduction only from any income derived from the same contract area. In all cases, notices of abandonment shall be filed with the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

(B)In case a producing well is subsequently abandoned, the unamortized costs thereof, as well as the undepreciated costs of equipment directly used therein shall be allowed as a deduction in the year such well, equipment or facility is abandoned by the contractor: Provided, that if such abandoned well is reentered and production is resumed, or if such equipment or facility is restored into service, the said costs shall be included as part of gross income in the year of resumption or restoration and shall be amortized or depreciated, as the case may be.

(e)Bad Debts. — (1) In general. — Debts due to the taxpayer actually ascertained to be worthless and charged off within the taxable year except those not connected with profession, trade or business and those sustained in a transaction entered into between parties mentioned under Section 31(b) of this Code.

(2)Securities becoming worthless. — If securities as defined in Section 20 are ascertained to be worthless and charged off within the taxable year and are capital assets, the loss resulting therefrom shall, in the case of a taxpayer other than a bank or trust company incorporated under the laws of the Philippines a substantial part of whose business is the receipt of deposits, for the purpose of this Title, be considered as a loss from the sale or exchange, on the last day of such taxable year of capital assets.

(f)Depreciation. (1) General rule. — There shall be allowed as a depreciation deduction a reasonable allowance for the exhaustion, wear and tear (including reasonable allowance for obsolescence) of property used in the trade or business. In the case of property held by one person for life with remainder to another person, the deduction shall be computed as if the life tenant were the absolute owner of the property and shall be allowed to the life tenant. In the case of property held in trust, the allowable deduction shall be apportioned between the income beneficiaries and the trustees in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the instrument creating the trust, or in the absence of such provisions, on the basis of the trust income allowable to each.

(2)Use of certain methods and rates. — The term 'reasonable allowance' as used in the preceding paragraph shall include (but not limited to) an allowance computed in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the Minister of Finance, under any of the following methods:

(A)The straight line method.

(B)Declining balance method, using a rate not exceeding twice the rate which would have been used had the annual allowance been computed under the method described in paragraph (f) (1).

(C)The sum of the years-digits method, and

(D)Any other method which may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance upon recommendation of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

(3)Agreement as to useful life on which depreciation rate is based. — Where under regulations prescribed by the Minister of Finance, the taxpayer and the Commissioner of Internal Revenue have entered into an agreement in writing specifically dealing with the useful life and rate of depreciation of any property, the rate so agreed upon shall be binding on both the taxpayer and the Minister of Finance in the absence of facts and circumstances not taken into consideration in the adoption of such agreement. The responsibility of establishing the existence of such facts and circumstances shall rest with the party initiating the modification. Any change in the agreed rate and useful life specified in the agreement shall not be effective for taxable years before the taxable year in which the notice in writing by certified mail or registered mail is served by the party to the agreement initiating such change.

(4)Depreciation of properties used in petroleum operations. — An allowance for depreciation in respect to all properties directly related to production of petroleum initially placed in service in a taxable year under the straight-line or double-declining balance method of depreciation at the option of the service contractor. However, if the service contractor initially elects the double-declining method, it may at any subsequent date, shift to the straight-line method. The useful life of properties used in or related to production of petroleum shall be 10 years or such shorter life as may be permitted by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

Properties not used directly in the production of petroleum shall be depreciated under the straight-line method on the basis of an estimated useful life of 5 years.

(5)Depreciation deductible by nonresident aliens or foreign corporations. — In the case of a nonresident alien individual or foreign corporation, a reasonable allowance for the deterioration of property arising out of its use or employment or its non-use in the business or trade shall be permitted only when such property is located within the Philippines.

(g)Depletion of oil and gas wells and mines. — (1) In general. — In the case of oil and gas wells and mines, a reasonable allowance for depletion or amortization computed in accordance with the cost depletion method shall be granted under rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Minister of Finance: Provided, That when the allowance shall equal the capital invested no further allowance shall be granted: Provided, further, That after production in commercial quantities has commenced, certain intangible exploration and development drilling costs (A) shall be deductible in the year incurred if such expenditures are incurred for non-producing wells or (B) shall be deductible in full in the year paid or incurred or at the election of the taxpayer, may be capitalized and amortized if such expenditures incurred are for producing wells in the same contract area.

Intangible costs in petroleum operations refer to any costs incurred in petroleum operations which in itself has no salvage value and which is incidental to and necessary for the drilling of wells and preparation of wells for the production of petroleum: Provided, That said cost shall not pertain to the acquisition or improvement of property of a character subject to the allowance for depreciation except that the allowances for depreciation on such property, shall be deductible under this subsection.

Any intangible exploration, drilling and development expenses allowed as a deduction in computing taxable income during the year shall not be taken into consideration in computing the adjusted cost basis for the purpose of computing allowable cost depletion.

(2)Election to deduct exploration and development expenditures. — In computing taxable income, the taxpayer may, at his option, deduct exploration and development expenditures accumulated as cost or adjusted basis for cost depletion as of January 1, 1978, as well as exploration and development expenditures paid or incurred during the taxable year: Provided, That the total amount deductible for exploration and development expenditures shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the taxable income from mining operations computed without the benefit of any tax incentives under existing laws. This subparagraph shall not apply to expenditures for the acquisition or improvement of property of a character which is subject to the allowance for depreciation under Section 30(f) (1) of this Code but the allowance for depreciation thereon shall be treated as expenditure.

The election by the taxpayer to deduct the exploration and development expenditures is irrevocable and shall be binding in succeeding taxable years.

In no case shall this paragraph apply with respect to amounts paid or incurred for the exploration and development of oil and gas. The term 'exploration expenditures' means expenditures paid or incurred for the purpose of ascertaining the existence, location, extent, or quality of any deposit of ore or other mineral, and paid or incurred before the beginning of the development stage of the mine deposit. The term 'development expenditures' means expenditures paid or incurred during the development stage of the mine or other natural deposits. The development stage of a mine or other natural deposit shall begin at the time when deposits of ore or other minerals are shown to exist in sufficient commercial quantity and quality and shall end upon commencement of actual commercial extraction.

(3)Depletion of oil and gas wells and mines deductible by a nonresident alien individual or foreign corporation. — In the case of a nonresident alien individual or a foreign corporation, allowance for depletion of oil and gas wells or mines under subparagraph (1) shall be authorized only in respect to oil and gas wells or mines located within the Philippines.

(h)Charitable and other contributions. — (1) In general. — Contributions or gifts actually paid or made within the taxable year to, or for the use of the Government of the Philippines or any of its agencies or any political subdivision thereof for exclusively public purposes, or to domestic corporations or associations organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, youth and sports development, cultural or educational purposes or for the rehabilitation of veterans, or to social welfare institutions, no part of the net income of which inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual in an amount not in excess of 6% in the case of an individual, and 3% in the case of a corporation, of the taxpayer's taxable income derived from business as computed without the benefit of this and the following subparagraphs. cd

(2)Contributions deductible in full. — Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding subparagraph, donations to the following institutions or entities shall be deductible in full:

(A)Donations to the Government. — Donations to the Government of the Philippines or to any of its agencies or political subdivisions including fully-owned government corporations exclusively to finance, to provide for, or to be used in undertaking priority activities in education, health, youth and sports development, human settlements, science and culture, and in economic development according to a national priority plan to be determined by the NEDA, in consultation with appropriate government agencies, including its regional development councils and private philanthropic persons and institutions: Provided, That any donation which is made to the Government or to any of its agencies or political subdivisions not in accordance with the said annual priority plan shall be subject to the limitations prescribed in subparagraph (1) of this section.

(B)Donations to certain foreign institutions or international organizations. — Donations to foreign institutions or international organizations which are fully deductible in pursuance of or in compliance with agreements, treaties, or commitments entered into by the Government of the Philippines and the foreign institutions or international organizations or in pursuance of special laws.

(C)Donations to certain private foundations. — The term 'private foundation' means a non-profit domestic corporation:

(i)Organized and operated exclusively for scientific, research, educational, character-building and youth and sports development, health, social welfare, cultural or charitable purposes, or a combination thereof, no part of the net income of which inures to the benefit of any private individual;

(ii)Which, not later than the 15th day of the third month after the close of the foundation's taxable year in which contributions are received, makes utilization directly for the active conduct of the activities constituting the purpose or function for which it is organized and operated, unless an extended period is granted by the Minister of Finance in accordance with the rules and regulations to be promulgated;

(iii)The level of administrative expense of which, shall on an annual basis conform with the rules and regulations to be prescribed by the Minister of Finance but in no case to exceed thirty percent (30%) of the total expenses; and

(iv)The assets of which in the event of dissolution would be distributed to another non-profit domestic corporation organized for similar purpose or purposes, or to the State for public purpose, or would be distributed by a court to another organization to be used in such manner as in the judgment of said court shall best accomplish the general purpose for which the dissolved organization was organized.

Subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the Minister of Finance, the term 'utilization' means:

(i)Any amount in cash or in kind (including administrative expenses) paid or utilized to accomplish one or more purposes for which the private foundation was created or organized.

(ii)Any amount paid to acquire an asset used (or held for use) directly in carrying out one or more purposes for which the foundation was created or organized.

An amount set aside for a specific project which comes within one or more purposes of the foundation may be treated as a utilization, but only if at the time such amount is set aside, the private foundation establishes to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue that the amount will be paid for the specific project within a period to be prescribed in regulations to be promulgated by the Minister of Finance, but not to exceed 5 years, and the project is one which can be better accomplished by setting aside such amount than by immediate payment of funds.

(3)Valuation. — Properties other than cash donated shall be valued in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Minister of Finance in consultation with appropriate government agencies.

(4)Proof of deductions. — Contributions or gifts shall be allowable as deduction only if verified under the regulations prescribed by the Minister of Finance.

(i)Pension trusts. — An employer establishing or maintaining a pension trust to provide for the payment of reasonable pensions to his employees shall be allowed as a deduction (in addition to the contributions to such trust during the taxable year to cover the pension liability accruing during the year, allowed as a deduction under subsection (a) (1) of this section) a reasonable amount transferred or paid into such trust during the taxable year in excess of such contributions, but only if such amount (1) has not theretofore been allowable as deduction, and (2) is apportioned in equal parts over a period of 10 consecutive years beginning with the year in which the transfer or payment is made.

(j)Additional requirement for deductibility of certain payments. — Any amount paid or payable which is otherwise deductible from, or taken into account in computing gross income for which depreciation or amortization may be allowed under this section, shall be allowed as a deduction only if it is shown that the tax required to be deducted and withheld therefrom has been paid to the Bureau of Internal Revenue in accordance with this section, Sections 52 and 84 of this Code.

(k)Optional standard deduction. — In lieu of the deductions allowed under the preceding paragraphs of this section an individual subject to tax under Section 21(a) other than a nonresident alien, may elect a standard deduction in an amount not exceeding ten percent (10%) of his gross income. Unless the taxpayer signifies in his return his intention to elect the optional standard deduction, he shall be considered as having availed himself of the deductions allowed in the preceding subsection. The Minister of Finance shall prescribe the manner of the election. Such election when made in the return shall be irrevocable for the taxable year for which the return is made.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraphs, the Minister of Finance upon recommendation of the Commissioner, after a public hearing shall have been held for this purpose may prescribe by regulations, limitations or ceilings for any of the itemized deductions under paragraphs (a) to (i) of this section: Provided, That for purposes of determining such ceilings or limitations, the Minister of Finance shall consider the following factors: (1) adequacy of the prescribed limits on the actual expenditure requirements of each particular industry; and (2) effects of inflation on expenditure levels: Provided, further, that no ceilings shall further be imposed on items of expense already subject to ceilings under present law.

(1)Personal exemptions allowable to individuals. — (1) Basic personal exemption. — For the purpose of determining the tax provided in Section 21(a) of this Title, there shall be allowed a basic personal exemption as follows:

For single individual or married individual judicially decreed as legally separated with no qualified dependents — P6,000

For head of a family — P7,500

For married individual — P12,000

Provided, That husband and wife electing to compute their income tax separately shall be entitled to a personal exemption of P6,000 each.

For purposes of this paragraph, the term 'Head of Family' means an unmarried or legally separated man or woman with one or both parents, or with one or more brothers or sisters, or with one or more legitimate, recognized natural or legally adopted children living with and dependent upon him for their chief support, where such brothers or sisters or children are not more than twenty-one (21) years of age, unmarried and not gainfully employed or where such children, brothers or sisters, regardless of age are incapable of self-support because of mental or physical defect.

(2)Additional exemption

(A)Taxpayers with dependents. — A married individual or a head of family shall be allowed an additional exemption of three thousand pesos (P3,000) for each dependent: Provided, that the total number of dependents for which additional exemptions may be claimed shall not exceed four dependents: Provided, further, That an additional exemption of One thousand pesos (P1,000) shall be allowed for each child who otherwise qualified as dependent prior to January 1, 1980: and Provided, finally, That the additional exemption for dependents shall be claimed by only one of the spouses in the case of married individuals electing to compute their income tax liabilities separately.

In case of legally separated spouses, additional exemptions may be claimed only by the spouse who was awarded custody of the child or children: Provided, That the total amount of additional exemptions that may be claimed by both shall not exceed the maximum additional exemptions herein allowed.

For purposes of this paragraph, a dependent means a legitimate, recognized natural or legally adopted child chiefly dependent upon and living with the taxpayer if such dependent is not more than twenty-one (21) years of age, unmarried and not gainfully employed or if such dependent, regardless of age, is incapable of self-support because of mental or physical defect.

(B)Taxpayers with gross compensation income not exceeding P20,000. — A special additional exemption of Four thousand pesos (P4,000) shall be allowed if the gross income of a single, married or legally separated individual, or head of family does not exceed the aggregate amount of P20,000: Provided, That in case married individuals elect to compute their income tax separately, the spouse claiming the additional exemption for dependent children shall be entitled to the special additional exemption of P4,000.

(3)Change of status. — If the taxpayer married or should have additional dependents as defined above during the taxable year, the taxpayer may claim the corresponding personal and additional exemptions, as the case may be, in full for such year.

If the taxpayer should die during the taxable year, his estate may still claim the personal and additional exemptions for himself and his dependents as if he died at the close of such year.

If the spouse or any of the dependents should die or if any of such dependents becomes twenty-one years old during the taxable year, the taxpayer may still claim the same exemptions as if they died, or if such dependents become twenty-one years old at the close of such year.

(4)Allowances for adjustment. — Upon the recommendation of the Minister of Finance, the President shall automatically adjust not more often than once every three years, the personal and additional exemptions taking into account, among others, the movement in consumer price indices, levels of minimum wages, and bare subsistence levels.

(5)Personal exemptions allowable to nonresident alien individuals. — A nonresident alien individual engaged in trade or business in the Philippines shall be entitled to personal exemption in the amount equal to the exemptions allowed by the income tax law of the country of which he is a subject or citizen to citizens of the Philippines not residing in such country, but not to exceed the amount fixed in this section as exemption for citizens or residents of the Philippines: Provided, That said nonresident alien should file a true and accurate return of the total income received by him from all sources in the Philippines, as required by this Title.

(m)Exemption and deduction allowable from foreign source income derived by nonresident citizens. — In computing the taxable income subject to tax under Section 21 (b) the following deductions shall be allowed from gross income derived by a nonresident citizen from sources without the Philippines:

(1)An allowance for personal exemption in the amount of two thousand dollars (U. S. $2,000), if the person making the return is a single or a married person legally separated from his or her spouse; or four thousand dollars (U.S. $4,000), if the person making the return is married or head of the family, as defined in Section 30 of this Code; and

(2)The total amount of the national income tax actually paid to the government of the foreign country of his residence. For this purpose, every nonresident citizen availing of this deduction shall attach to his Philippine income tax return a copy of the income tax return he has filed with the government of the foreign country of his residence."