SIM listup tops Pinoys’ online search this year

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MANILA, Philippines — The need to comply with the mandated SIM (subscriber identity module) card registration, a measure that seeks to curb the proliferation of text scams, drove Filipinos to search the internet on how to enlist their numbers.

This made the mandatory SIM enlistment the Filipinos’ most searched news item this year, according to Google Philippines. Mervin Wenke, Google Philippines’ head of communications, said that Filipinos click on the search engine to be updated on relevant news. He noted that Filipinos wanted to know how to register their SIM cards to comply with the law.

Stopping scams

The government enacted the SIM card registration measure in December 2022 to combat the spread of text scams, which have surged since the pandemic. This law removes user anonymity, which hackers are taking advantage of when launching their attacks.

Text scams are a form of phishing, which is a fraudulent activity where users are being tricked into providing sensitive information like contact and bank or e-wallet account details. Once these data are illegally obtained, hackers may take over the victim’s account and transfer the money to their own account.

According to the implementing rules and regulations, individual users must provide their full name, date of birth, sex, address and valid government ID or similar documents with a photo. Business users, meanwhile, must provide their business name, business address and the full name of an authorized signatory.

Polls, persona non grata

Meanwhile, Wenke said the term “precinct finder” was the second-most trending this year due to the recent local elections.

Following the list is the controversial performance of drag artist Pura Luka Vega, who depicted Jesus Christ. Filipinos searched for the term persona non grata after Vega was declared as such in several localities. Included in the trending topic list were “Nipah virus,” “War in Israel and Gaza,” “lato-lato,” “Typhoon Egay update,” “Taal Volcano update,” “Turkey earthquake” and “MoCa Farm.”

The death of veteran journalist Mike Enriquez was the most searched in Google Philippines’ “farewells” category.

Personalities

On the lighter side, the most popular personalities this year were Korean actor Ahn Bo-hyun and British actress Katy Louise Saunders. Ahn is known for his roles in popular Korean shows “Itaewon Class,” “Descendants of the Sun” and “Undercover.” This year, the actor gained the attention of the netizens after announcing his breakup with Jisoo, a member of the Korean girl group BLACKPINK.

Saunders, meanwhile, is known for the movies “The Borgia,” “Third Person” and “Virgin Territory.” She married in January Song Joong-ki, who led “Descendants of the Sun” with ex-wife Song Hye-kyo.

The most searched movie was “Oppenheimer,” which was released on the same day as another blockbuster film that made the list, “Barbie.”