The registration for the subscriber identity module (SIM) cards will be extended for another 90 days or until July 25, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced on Tuesday
However, after the original April 26 deadline, subscribers will have limited access to services until they finally register.
“Most of the services will be cut off with the telcos (telecommunications companies). So, there will be a social media unavailability for those who do not register in the next 90 days,” Remulla said in an interview after attending a Cabinet cluster meeting.
Senator Grace Poe, meanwhile, called for a boost in information dissemination of Republic Act (RA) 11934 or the SIM Registration Act now that the deadline has been extended.
Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services, said the extension would help clarify the confusion and concerns of registrants regarding the law.
“It should be emphasized that SIMs will still be available in local retailers and sari-sari stores even past the SIM Registration deadline. Users will simply be required to register first before they can activate their new SIMs,” she said in a statement as she welcomed the decision to extend the registration.
“SIM registration was meant to promote the responsible use of SIM and to halt the abuses of scammers and criminals. It is not meant to punish legitimate SIM subscribers, especially those at remote areas.”
She recalled that when the bill on SIM registration was under deliberation, lawmakers considered the compliance of the more than 168 million SIM subscribers and had foreseen the need to extend the registration period to accommodate all users.
Poe was the bill’s sponsor in the Senate.
As of April 23, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) data show that about 82,845,397, or 49.31 percent of SIM cards have been registered.
The breakdown is as follows:
DITO: 5,796,175 or 38.73 percent
Globe: 37,099,437 or 42.77 percent
SMART: 39,949,785 or 60.25 percent
Filipinos are encouraged to register their SIM cards before the deadline.
Villafuerte, who was the law’s co-author in the House of Representatives, noted that the DICT itself pointed out that a bigger registry turnout would better provide law enforcers with the necessary tools to crack down hard on nefarious groups that have used their SIMs in their cybercrimes.
“Unti-unti nang nagiging mas ligtas ang ating digital space kaya naman patuloy naming inaanyayahan ang lahat na mag-register na para sa panatag na pagnenegosyo, pagtatrabaho, at pamumuhay (Our digital space is gradually getting safer, that’s why we continue to encourage everyone to register for an orderly environment in business, livelihood and way of life)” Villafuerte said.
