Republic Act 11934, or the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act, was signed into law on October 10, 2022. It was the first law signed by President Marcos. This law aims to crack down on phishing attempts and other scams sent through text messages from unidentified SIM cards.
The Philippine government introduced the SIM registration act to help law enforcement with crimes involving SIMs, such as mobile phishing, text spam, online scams, bank frauds, and identity theft. It hopes it will become an effective tool for stopping this cybercrime. It involves attaching an individual’s personal information to a SIM card, making it easier for law enforcement agencies to identify the cybercriminal or any individual engaging in illegal activities.
The National Telecommunications Commission released its implementing rules and regulations, stating that subscribers must register their SIM cards with their providers within 180 days from the effective date of the law.
The SIM registration started today, December 27, 2022. SIM users, both for physical and embedded SIMs (eSIMs), other variations, and other future technologies thereof, which PTE provisions to provide SMS, voice, and data services, are required to register until June 22, 2023.
In accordance with the law, telco providers Globe Telecom and Smart Communication posted instructions on how their subscribers can access their portals and register their SIM cards.
In its online briefer of the new law, the company stated that it supports the government’s implementation of this measure for financial inclusion and financial aid in times of crisis.
The Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, Jr., urged all the local government units to raise awareness in their localities and educate the public on the requirements and importance of the law.
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mb.com.ph. (n.d.). Answers to common questions about the SIM Registration Act of the Philippines – Manila Bulletin. [online] Available at: https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/18/answers-to-common-questions-about-the-sim-registration-act-of-the-philippines/?amp [Accessed 27 Dec. 2022].
