SIM Card Registration bill reaches Senate plenary anew

Senators may now start the debates on the proposed SIM Card Registration Act following the measure's sponsorship on Tuesday.

Senate public services committee chairperson Grace Poe sponsored Senate Bill 1310 containing Committee Report No. 5 during the Senate session Tuesday.

SB 1310 seeks to require the registration of Subscriber Identity Module commonly called as SIM Cards for electronic devices by all users to "promote accountability" in its use and to provide law enforcement agencies the tools to resolve crimes which involve its utilization and the platform to deter the commission of wrongdoings.

"This bill is not the panacea to all the ills and evils proliferating in our telecommunications system.  The false job offers, cash loans, sale of solar lights, winning raffles and other malicious and scam messages may not disappear overnight," Poe said.

"But this bill is a concrete step towards making our telecommunications and digital systems a safer environment for all as had been the hope of the 18th Congress when it unanimously passed the measure," she added.

Under the bill, all public telecommunications entities (PTEs) shall require the registration of SIM as a prerequisite to its activation.

The requirement seeks to deter the proliferation of SIM or electronic communication-aided crimes such as but not limited to terrorism, text scams, unsolicited, indecent or obscene messages, bank fraud, and massive disinformation.

All existing SIM subscribers with active services shall register with their respective PTEs within 180 days from the effectivity of the proposed law.

An extension period of no longer than 120 days shall be allowed upon a valid written request to the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

Should the subscriber fail to register within the prescribed period, PTEs are authorized to automatically deactivate or retire the SIM number and registration.

The deactivated SIM may only be reactivated after registration in accordance with the proposed law.

The bill also tasks the National Telecommunications Commission, in coordination with PTEs, concerned agencies of the government including the Department of Trade and Industry, DICT, National Privacy Commission, and major communication groups to formulate the necessary guidelines in the proper implementation of the real-name registration program through a SIM registration process.

The SIM registration process will be based on several parameters such as submission of duly accomplished control-numbered owner's registration form with full name, date of birth, and address; presentation of valid government-issued identification cards or other similar forms of documents that will verify the identity of the SIM buyer, or a valid passport in the case of aliens, among others.

The proposed law also prohibits minors to register their SIM unless they have obtained the consent of the parent or legal guardian at the time of registration.

Visiting tourists for more than 30 days shall register their name, passport number, and address in the SIM registration form and present their passport and proof of address in the Philippines.

Foreigners staying for more than 30 days either as workers or students shall register their full name, passport number, and address in the SIM registration form and present their passport, proof of address in the Philippines, Alien Certificate of Registration Identification Card issued by the Bureau of Immigration and Alien Employment Permit issued by the Department of Labor and Employment or school registration and ID, whichever is applicable.

Meanwhile, SIM registration in remote areas with limited telecommunication or internet access shall be facilitated by relevant government agencies and concerned PTEs.

The registration of SIM under the proposed measure will be at no cost to end users.

SB 1310 also provides for a SIM register where electronic registration forms will be kept by the concerned PTE in a centralized database.

This database shall strictly serve as a SIM register to be used by PTEs to process, activate or deactivate subscription and shall not be used for any other purpose.

The successful submission and acceptance of the required registration form shall serve as the certification of registration by the SIM buyer.

The measure also tasks the PTEs to ensure that the end users' data are secure and protected at all times. They shall comply with the minimum information security standards prescribed by the DICT consistent with internationally accepted cybersecurity standards and relevant laws, rules and regulations.

Individuals who will engage in the sale of fraudulently-registered or stolen SIM shall be held criminally liable under SB 1310.

Section 10 of the proposed measure provides penalties for failure to comply with the registration requirement, breach of confidentiality, use of fictitious identities to register a SIM, spoofing registered SIM, and sale of fraudulently-registered or stolen SIM.

Recently, several senators expressed concern over the proliferation  of spam and phishing text messages received by end users.

This prompted the Senate public services committee to immediately tackle the SIM Card Registration bills filed in the 19th Congress.

In the 18th Congress, the bill reached Malacanang for the president's signature, but was vetoed  by former President Rodrigo Duterte before the sine die adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Duterte rejected the proposed law due to the provision on social media registration.—LDF, GMA News