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“One Purpose” by the MG 7 - SDS cluster songwriting team of Rodonna Marie Borasca, Julia Marie Gumiran and Meynard Sardalla, was crowned as the SGV Purposeful Compositions JAMM Night grand winner last 31 August 2021. Their song, to be arranged by professional music arranger and lyricist Jungee Marcelo, will be presented during the SGV 75th annual Staff Anniversary celebration. The song also received the greatest number of SGV people votes and was named as the People’s Choice award winner.  Song entries “Into A Better Philippines” by Jerwin Esquibel (MG 7 - ACM), “Envision the SGV Purpose” by Hector William Yuson (MG 3 - MAM) and “Better in SGV” by Kristine Anne Perez (MG 8 - LSC) were the top four other finalists. The remaining composers, Justine Jose Marie Pabalan (L&D - CTM, BES), Jethel Vileran (MG 3 - SDT) and duo Julia Marie Gumiran and Meynard Sardalla (MG 7 - SDS). The songs were judged based on their interpretation of the SGV Purpose statement.      SGV Purpose Council Partners with the participants of the Purposeful Compositions songwriting competition The panel of judges was composed of two external judges – award-winning music producer, composer, lyricist and arranger Jungee Marcelo and singer-songwriter and FILSCAP songwriting competition winner Toto Sorioso – and SGV Purpose Council judges composed of SGV Vice Chair and Deputy Managing Partner Vivian C. Ruiz, EY ASEAN Risk Management Leader Leonardo J. Matignas, Jr. and EY ASEAN Business Consulting Leader and SGV Consulting Leader Rossana A. Fajardo. The Purposeful Compositions songwriting competition was streamed live via the SGV@Home Facebook group. 

SGV Tax Partner Tesi Lou S. Guanzon (TSG) completed the Comparative Tax Policy and Administration program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education. The 10-day online executive program developed by Harvard Kennedy School faculty helps Tax professionals reconcile complex taxation with the need to generate significant tax revenue in an economically efficient and socially equitable manner.    TSG earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accountancy from the UP Diliman and her Bachelor of Laws from San Beda College. She completed the Master of Laws in International Taxation under the Levin College of Law, University of Florida, USA. She is a CPA-lawyer and is a member of both PICPA and the IBP. Congratulations, TSG!

SGV Consulting organized a third installment of the SheInspires webinar series entitled “Your success is my success: How Strong Men Support Strong Women” last August 27, 2021. About 850 people from SGV and ASEAN Consulting attended the event.    Consulting Partners with panelists and moderators at the third SheInspires webinar. What was different from the previous runs of the SheInspires series was that this webinar had all-male panelists and moderators who shared their perspective and insights. It shifted the focus to the role of men in gender equality and women empowerment in the workplace, and how men can inspire and support the success of women’s lives, families and careers. The attendees listened to the anecdotes of the panelists on how they continuously inspire and support their wives or partners in pursuit of their career goals or managing their family. Empowered women often cite the role of supportive men in their journey to success. The webinar’s panelists included Atty. Michael G. Acaban, Senior Partner, Gerodias Suchianco Estrella Law Firm (husband of Tax Principal Margarita D. Mallari-Acaban); Mr. Jose Mari Fajardo, Investor Relations Director, Globe Telecom, Inc. (husband of SGV Consulting Leader and ASEAN Business Consulting Leader, Rosanna A. Fajardo); Mr. Warren R. Bituin, Consulting Partner and Technology Consulting Leader; Mr. Carlo Paolo V. Manalang, Assurance Partner; and Mr. Jerome O. Afable, Assurance Manager. Mr. Alvin G. Manuel, Technology Consulting Senior Manager and Mr. Leonardo J. Matignas Jr., Consulting Partner, ASEAN Risk Management Leader and PH Consulting Markets Co-Leader moderated the event. 

The Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants Freeport Area of Bataan and Bataan Export Processing Zone (PICPA-FAB-BEPZ) Chapter organized a webinar titled CREATE Act and VAT Updates: Impact on Registered Business Enterprises (RBEs) on 28 July. PICPA-FAB-BEPZ Chapter President Marc Czimon Lizeralde welcomed nearly 170 people to the webinar hosted by PICPA Officer Arjay Bacsal. LLL and MAA presenting at the webinarSGV Clark Tax Partners Hentje Leo L. Leaño (LLL) and Margaux A. Advincula (MAA) covered the VAT provisions under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act and the latest VAT issuance under Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 9-2021, as well as their impact on RBEs. They also provided an overview of the conflicting issuances of RR No. 9-2021 and Section 5 of the Act. On the day of the webinar, the BIR issued RR No. 15-2021 which deferred the implementation of RR No. 9-2021.  The webinar concluded with an open forum moderated by LLL and MAA. PICPA-FAB-BEPZ Chapter Executive Vice President Marites Bartolome then delivered the closing remarks. Tax Associate Director Michael Lapasaran, Tax Senior Associate Virly Jane Tiare and Atty. John Marti Duya, and Tax Associate Brevin Perez assisted the speakers in the preparation of the webinar materials.

The US-ASEAN Business Council organized a webinar titled CREATEing Investment Opportunities in the Philippines: Webinar on the Rationalization of Incentives under CREATE Law on 6 August. The webinar featured discussions on the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE Act) and its impact on businesses, particularly on the members of the US-ASEAN Business Council. The speakers and organizers of the webinar The webinar began with opening remarks from Chief Country Representative of the US-ASEAN Business Council Elizabeth Crebassa. SGV Tax Partner Karen Kaye Sta Maria-Constantino then discussed the salient provisions of the CREATE Act. Afterwards, Board of Investments Director Sandra Marie Recolizado provided an overview of the Strategic Investment Priority Plan. Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General BGen. Charito B. Plaza then led a session on new economic strategic locations and other PEZA updates.  The sessions were followed by a Q&A portion facilitated by Tax Partner Betheena Dizon. Tax Leader Fame delos Santos then delivered the closing remarks. The webinar was hosted by Tax Senior Director Josephine Grace Sandoval and the organizing team included Tax Partner Margaux Advincula and Tax Director Joyce Elaine Laohoo.  

SGV Clark Partners and Managers paid a courtesy call on incoming Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Angeles City Chapter officers last July. SGV Clark Head Jose Pepito Zabat (JEZ) led the team with Tax Partner Hentje Leo L. Leaño (LLL), Consulting Partner Conrad Allan Alviz (CMA), Tax Senior Director Leo Niño Canlas, Associate Director Michael Ray Lapasaran and Senior Associate John Marti Duya. They met with PICPA Angeles City Chapter Outgoing President Mariel Pamintuan-Palo, Incoming President Julyn Nyril Tiatco-Santos, and other officers of the PICPA Angeles City Chapter.  Virtual banner for the SGV Clark courtesy call on PICPA AngelesThey discussed the plans and collaboration of PICPA with SGV on future events. This was followed by an awarding ceremony where LLL and Michael Lapasaran were given tokens of appreciation for being speakers at a CREATE webinar organized by the PICPA Angeles City Chapter.

SGV Clark Tax Partners Atty. Margaux A. Advincula (MAA) and Hentje Leo L. Leaño (LLL) spoke at the Business Registration and Basic Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Compliances webinar organized by the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Central Luzon Region. The webinar was part of the First Regional Summit for Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSME).   MAA and LLL speak at the Business Registration and Basic Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Compliances webinar Mr. Rizaldy R. Martin, President of the PICPA Bulacan Chapter, welcomed nearly 640 participants in his opening remarks. MAA kicked off the discussion proper about “Business Registration” while LLL discussed the “Basic BIR Compliances” for MSMEs. The webinar concluded with an open forum where MAA and LLL addressed the various questions of participants.  The session was hosted by Mr. Edward A. Isip, Secretary of the PICPA Bulacan Chapter. SGV Clark Office Head and Assurance Partner Jose Pepito E. Zabat (JEZ) was also present at the Regional Summit.

The Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Chapters of Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Cabanatuan, Freeport Area of Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo, Pampanga and Tarlac organized a webinar titled CREATE Act with focus on VAT and its impact to Registered Business Enterprises (RBEs) last 15 July. PICPA Angeles City Chapter President Ms. Julyn Nyril Tiatco-Santos gave the opening remarks and welcomed over 300 participants. PICPA Nueva Ecija Chapter EVP Aileen Fae Africa introduced the speakers, SGV Clark Tax Partner Hentje Leo L. Leaño (LLL) and Tax Associate Director Michael Laparasan. LLL and Michael presenting at the webinarThey discussed the salient features of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, focusing on its VAT provisions and the VAT impact of the rules under Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 9-2021. They also explained its impact on RBEs and their suppliers.  The webinar concluded with an open forum where the speakers addressed the participants’ questions. Tax Associate Brevin Perez was part of the webinar’s organizing team.

The PH EY Private team headed by Jun Torres (NTT), Kristopher Catalan (KSC), Atty. Jules Riego (JER) and Conrad M. Alviz (CMA) successfully organized and conducted the first of the IPO journey webinar series entitled IPOs: Transaction or Transformation.  The webinar was conducted in cooperation with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) with Atty. Roel A. Refran, the Chief Operating Officer of PSE, as guest speaker.  The webinar was attended by more than 100 participants belonging to the C-suites of companies, some of which are considering an IPO in two to three years.     SGV Partners with Atty. Roel A. Refran of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) The webinar was moderated by Shane Dave Tanguin (SDT) and Cheryl Edeline Ong (CCO).  SGV Deputy Managing Partner Maria Vivian Cruz-Ruiz (VCR) welcomed the participants.  In her opening remarks, VCR stressed the importance of an IPO.  She added that for private companies seeking to raise capital, an IPO is an attractive route and strong strategic option to fund growth.  Atty. Roel A. Refran proceeded with his presentation to ‘demystify the IPO process’. He enumerated the benefits of going public and shared the things that private companies should consider before going public, including having a strong management team, a compelling equity story, fair pricing, right timing and being IPO-ready to meet regulatory requirements and investors’ expectations.  The presentation was followed by a panel discussion with SGV partners Marie Stephanie Tan-Hamed (MTH), Maria Kathrina Macaisa-Peña (KSM), Aris Malantic (ACM) and Atty. Jules Riego (JER), together with Atty. Refran. They further expounded on the benefits of IPO, considerations in preparing for an IPO, alternatives to IPO, tax benefits, especially for owners, and insights on corporate governance for those companies planning to hold an IPO. The panel also answered some questions raised by the participants.  NTT delivered the closing remarks and mentioned that SGV continues to support our clients in achieving their business objectives and potentials, as articulated in the SGV Purpose of nurturing leaders and enabling businesses for a better Philippines.  NTT also thanked Atty. Refran for successfully ‘demystifying’ the IPO process, the panelists for providing their insights and the participants who were engaged all throughout the webinar.  KSC and senior directors Jonathan Bino, Felinor Pascua and Royelle Natural, directors April Joy Dy and Lewis Jake Caiman, and SGV’s Brand Marketing and Communications  team provided the necessary support in promoting, organizing and conducting this event.  This IPO webinar series is part of the PH EY Private team’s activities in expanding our reach to entrepreneurs and family businesses to help them achieve their growth aspirations. 

SGV Tax Partner Cheryl Edeline C. Ong (CCO) was one of the panelists at the PEZA Industry Briefing: Updates on the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act on September 9, 2021. The virtual briefing, which was spearheaded by the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), in partnership with Leechiu Property Consultants, Inc., welcomed over 300 IBPAP member companies.   PEZA Industry briefing panel with the SGV team The keynote speaker in the virtual briefing was PEZA Director General Charito Plaza focusing on the latest updates/developments surrounding the CREATE Act and the salient provisions of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), particularly those which keenly interest BPOs and other firms, such as work-from-home policy and VAT zero-rating rules. In the ensuing panel discussion, CCO was one of the tax experts invited to share valuable insights. CCO shared her insights on VAT zero-rating rules affecting locator companies in the IT and BPO industries. She then discussed the concerns of most of the companies with the advent of the CREATE Act and its IRR, specifically the feasibility of optional VAT registration of entities enjoying five percent (5%) Gross Income Tax incentive, application of the cross-border doctrine for VAT purposes, and the improvement of the enhanced VAT refund system.  Participation in the virtual briefing was coordinated by Logistics Industry Leader and Tax Principal Stephanie V. Nava (SVN) and Technology Industry Leader and Assurance Partner Manolito R. Elle (MRE). The briefing’s coordination and organizing team included Tax Senior Director Alden Patrick C. Labaguis, Tax Senior Associates Gracia Mae A. Beronilla and Roland Joseph C. Mendoza.