EN BANC G.R. No. 119657 February 7, 1997UNIMASTERS CONGLOMERATION, INC., petitioner, vs.COURT OF APPEALS an !U"OTA AGRI MAC#INER$ P#ILIPPINES, INC., respondents. NAR%ASA, C.J.:The appellate proceeding at bar turns upon the interpretation of a stipulationin a contract governing venue of actions thereunder arising.On October 8, 1988 ubota Agri!"achiner# $hilippines, %nc. &hereafter, si'pl#(BOTA) and (ni'asters Conglo'eration, %nc. &hereafter, si'pl# (N%"A*TE+*) entered into a ,-ealership Agree'ent for *ales and *ervices, of the for'er.s products in *a'ar and /e#te $rovinces. 1 The contract contained, a'ong others01) a stipulation reading0 ,. . . All suits arising out of this Agree'ent shall be 1led 2ith3in the proper Courts of 4ue5on Cit#,, and6) a provision binding (N%"A*TE+* to obtain &as it did in fact obtain) a credit line 2ith "etropolitan Ban7 and Trust Co.!Tacloban Branch in the a'ount of $6,888,888.88 to ans2er for its obligations to (BOTA.*o'e 1ve #ears later, or 'ore precisel# on -ece'ber 69, 199:, (N%"A*TE+* 1led an action in the +egional Trial Court of Tacloban Cit# against (BOTA, a certain +e#naldo ;o, and "etropolitan Ban7 and Trust Co'pan#!Tacloban Branch &hereafter, si'pl# "ET+OBAN) for da'ages for breach of contract, and in