Malacañang said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s decision to sign the measure on the mandatory registration of SIM cards would boost the government's efforts against text and online scams.
Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) officer-in-charge Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil said this a day before Marcos is scheduled to sign the SIM Card Registration Act on Monday, October 10.
In a statement, Garafil noted that the President's decision to sign the measure was due to the prevalence of text and online scams.
She added that the SIM Card Registration Act aims to promote accountability in using SIM cards and aid law enforcers in tracking perpetrators of crimes committed through phones.
"President Marcos' decision to approve the measure will significantly boost government initiatives against scams committed through text and online messages, which have become more prevalent this year," she said.
Under the measure, all public telecommunications entities (PTE) or direct sellers shall require the SIM card owner to present a valid identification document with a photo.
Any information in the SIM card registration shall be treated as confidential unless the subscriber authorizes access to his/her information.
Foreign nationals in the country, including tourists, are also required to register their local SIM cards.
The law also directs telco firms to disclose the full name and address contained in the SIM card registration upon a duly issued subpoena or order of a court.
Law enforcement agencies that conduct probes on purported crimes committed through phones may also submit a written request to telco firms to disclose the details of the SIM card holder.
The SIM Card Registration Act is the first law to get Marcos' signature since he assumed office on June 30.