The proposed Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card Registration Act was approved at the Bicameral Conference Committee level on Tuesday night, Sept. 27.
This was confirmed by Valenzuela City 1st district Rep. Rex Gatchalian, a proponent of the measure. Approval at the bicam level means that the House of Representatives and Senate versions of the measure, which may have differing provisions, have been harmonized.
In this particular case, House Bill (HB) No. 14 and Senate Bill (SB) No. 1310 were reconciled, with the resulting Bicameral Conference Committee report expected to be ratified during the respective plenary session of both chambers Wednesday night, Sept. 28.
Wednesday is the last session day for either chamber before they officially go on a month-long recess beginning Oct. 1.
“With its imminent ratification by both chambers of Congress, and hopefully its signing by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. into law, the nefarious and fraudulent activities involving the use of SIM will soon be eradicated,” Gatchalian said in statement Wednesday
Foremost among the concerns raised by Gatchalian, chairman of the House Committee on Local Government, in pushing the bill were the countless victims of text scams and data breaches that led to the loss of their life-savings.
“There are even those who threaten bodily harm or make ransom demands through prepaid mobile numbers,” he said.
“It is in this context that we find it imperative to regulate the sale and distribution of these SIM cards by establishing a registry or database of validated information of its authorized owner,” Gatchalian said.
The proposed SIM Registration Act seeks to regulate the sale and distribution of SIM cards; promote end-user accountability; prevent the proliferation of mobile phone scams, data breaches; and assist law enforcement agencies in resolving crimes involving the use of mobile phone units.
Among the key provisions of the bill include the establishment of a system of registration of SIM’s for all users by the submission of pertinent data electronically through a platform or website to be provided by the Public Telecommunication Entities (PTEs).
In order to regulate the registration and use of SIM’s, all SIM’s to be sold shall be in a deactivated state. It shall only be activated after the end-user completes the process of registration.
The registration shall carry the full name, date of birth, gender, and address of the end-user appearing in a valid government-issued identification document with photo such as passport, national ID, GSIS e-Card, digitized SSS ID, driver’s license, voter’s ID and senior citizen’s card among others.
It requires end-users to immediately inform the PTEs through its facility, of any change in the information after registration, including requests for deactivation.