IT has been a long process, from proposal to bill to full-fledged legislation, and then the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) to guide both the implementers and the public on how the law works.
So now, the telecommunications companies will start SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) registration starting December 27 this year following the publication of the law’s implementing rules and regulations.
The National Telecommunications (NTC) published the IRR of the SIM Registration Act on their website last Monday.The IRR is expected to take effect on December 27.
The need to pass a law mandating the registration of SIM had been felt even during the term of President Duterte, but the first such bill passed by Congress was derailed and vetoed by the President because it also included the registration of social media accounts of the cellphone owner.
‘The passage of this law is a significant step forward in fighting online criminal syndicates which have been successful in their nefarious money-making activities…’
Malacañang explained then that Duterte was constrained to disagree with the inclusion of social media in the measure without providing proper guidelines, saying it may “give rise to a situation of dangerous state intrusion and surveillance threatening many constitutionally protected rights.” Others pointed out that mandating social media account registration may be against the “one subject, one title” rule in legislation.
Members of the present Congress did a good job at the SIM Registration Act, so that it easily passed President Bongbong Marcos’ scrutiny. The Palace has not been remiss in urging all agencies concerned in e-commerce and online marketing, lending and investment to institute safeguards that will defend the consumers from the traps of the shenanigans.
The passage of this law is a significant step forward in fighting online criminal syndicates which have been successful in their nefarious money-making activities while taking advantage of the anonymity of SIM card usage.
The National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, the Securities and Exchange Commission, banks, and other institutions have been receiving and investigating cases of fraud that run in the millions of pesos, all involving SIM cards used by anonymous owners, and as the holidays near, these fraudulent activities intensify. The start of mandatory registration of SIM therefore comes at a very opportune time.
Not only the public, but also the telco industry stakeholders are happy in seeing that the SIM registration is operationalized. The NTC, too, has been proactive in working with the public telecommunications entities (PTEs) like Globe, Smart and Dito on how to create their respective registration platforms.
