SyCipLaw’s Tax Department hosted a seminar on the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) last February 15 at the SyCipLaw Center. The event gathered 60 participants from 32 companies.

SyCipLaw’s Tax Department hosted a seminar on the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) last February 15 at the SyCipLaw Center. The event gathered 60 participants from 32 companies.

SyCipLaw partners Carina C. Laforteza, Russel L. Rodriguez, and Hiyasmin H. Lapitan discussed the effects of TRAIN on individual taxes, corporate taxes, and value-added tax, among others. Participants were able to subsequently discuss concerns and issues with the featured speakers.

The seminar is part of SyCipLaw’s Kapihan series, which are sessions for experts and stakeholders to discuss the most recent legal issues and developments.

Carina C. Laforteza is a lawyer and a certified public accountant with extensive tax, corporate and financing practice. Her tax work ranges from tax structuring for both corporations and individuals to tax compliance to tax litigation, and tax-related arbitration. She has been a professorial lecturer in taxation since 2009 at the University of the Philippines College of Law where she graduated valedictorian and cum laude.

Russel L. Rodriguez specializes in civil and commercial litigation. He has handled and tried a broad range of civil, criminal, and tax cases including applications for VAT refund and assessments of internal revenue, local taxes and customs duties in various courts and tribunals, including the Supreme Court, the Court of Tax Appeals, the Bureau of Customs, and a number of Local Board of Assessment Appeals.

Hiyasmin H. Lapitan regularly provides tax structuring advice and assistance in applications to avail of benefits under tax treaties and in contesting tax assessments. She also specializes in insurance law. Her other corporate work relates to acquisitions and financing of projects in the energy, construction and advertising industries.