SIM registration law: Usec. Lamentillo tells all to comply

Newly promoted Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo has urged local cellphone users to comply with the recently enacted SIM Registration Law.

The law signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in October aims to curb the proliferation of text scams, misinformation, and spam messages.

Lamentillo added that it also aims to help deter crimes such as human trafficking, online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, and terrorism, among others.

“Thus, we enjoin every SIM subscriber or end-user to register their SIMs with their respective public telecommunication entities (PTEs),” said the DITC undersecretary during a press conference on Monday.

“The implementation of this law shall be at no cost to the end-users. Each PTE will set up a secure website or platform where users will register their SIM,” she added.

Under the law, registration requires personal information like complete name, date of birth, gender, postal address, and valid government identification with a photo.

Business users must provide the business name, address, and full name of an authorized signatory.

“It is important to note that failure to register will result in the deactivation of the SIM, which means the subscriber will not be able to use it. And if an individual intends to buy a new SIM, he/she would need to register first before the SIM is activated,” said Lamentillo.

The 180-day registration may be extended for a period not exceeding 120 days, while the SIM of those who will not register within the given period may be reactivated only after registering but not later than five days after deactivation.

“The DICT reminds all end-users that it is their responsibility to register their own SIMs with their respective PTEs (public telecommunication entities) and to immediately inform their PTEs if there are changes in the information of the SIM card holder, in case of loss of the SIM, or if the owner wants to deactivate the SIM, the end-user must inform the PTE. In case of death of an end-user, the immediate family, relatives, or guardian should report to the concerned PTE,” said Lamentillo.

Telcos that refuse to accept registration without valid reasons will be fined between P100,000 and P1 million, while breach of confidentiality will be fined between P500,000 and P4 million.

Users who provide false registration data or sell stolen SIM cards may be imprisoned from six months to two years and fined between P100,000 and P300,000.

Copying a registered SIM will result in imprisonment of not less than six years or a fine of P200,000 or both.

The telcos must include their information and data in the SIM register for existing subscribers.

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