EDITORIAL: SIM card registration- A timely move in these tech-driven times | Manila Bulletin

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One of the bills ratified by Congress recently was House Bill 5793 and Senate Bill 2395, generally called the “SIM Card Registration Act.”  Deputy Speaker Wes Gathalian, in a statement, said that this bill “mandates the owner registration of all SIM cards for electronic devices and social media accounts,” with the purpose of “eradicating mobile phone, internet, or electronic communication-aided criminal activities.”

To put it simply, it would now be easier for law enforcement agencies to track down criminals who use mobile phones or social media platforms in their illegal activities. These activities include terrorism, text scams, unsolicited/ indecent or obscene messages, bank fraud, libel, anonymous online defamation, trolling, hate speech, the spread of digital disinformation or fake news.

Gatchalian, one of the authors of the bill, said that this is “timely” as majority of Filipinos now rely on the use of modern communications and we are known as the top social media users in the world. This measure now awaits President Duterte’s signature.

In the bill’s explanation, all telecom companies “shall require the registration of SIM cards as a prerequisite to the sale and the activation of the subscription.”  On the other hand, all existing SIM card subscribers with active service “shall register with their respective telco provider within 180 days from the effectivity of this measure.”

The failure of the subscriber to register his or his SIM card will give the telco company the authority to automatically deactivate or retire the SIM card number.

“We change SIM cards as fast as we change our shirts. Alarmingly, this seeming boundless stream of supply has become a magnet for illegal activities,” said Gatchalian. “By requiring the registration of SIM cards, we promote accountability in its use and provide law enforcement agencies the tool to resolve crimes.”

This measure, however, has its share of critics and naysayers, especially those who are worried about privacy, identity theft, data leaks, and security issues. A cybersecurity group even said that based on data from other countries who have implemented the same scheme, this SIM registration didn’t help at all in deterring crime. But the bill’s proponents were unfazed. They underscored the fact that telcos, including delivery app companies, were supportive of this mandatory SIM card registration. Major telcos PLDT and Globe Telecom have already issued statements of support, conveying their willingness to work with the government on this measure.

Moving forward, the best the government can do is to also address various “loopholes” that this bill may present. In this day and age, as our lives revolve around the use of smartphones and logging on social media platforms, the last thing we want is to have our personal data exposed online.