Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon, who served as the city’s representative in Congress, welcomed the start of the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card registration.
The SIM card registration started on Dec. 27 and cell phone users have 180 days or six months to sign up.
When he was Muntinlupa’s representative, Biazon was the first to file the SIM registration bill in the 13th Congress, which ran from 2004 to 2007.
“Being the first to file the SIM Registration bill in the House of Representatives back in the 13th Congress, I am pleased to see it now for implementation after six Congresses spanning 18 years,” Biazon told Manila Bulletin.
He said the SIM card registration is beneficial as “it will enable more responsible use of telecommunications and even determine the number of subscribers for a more realistic assessment of revenue from cellular services.”
“Finally, the journey has reached its destination,” he added.
The SIM card registration was enacted into law through Republic Act 11934 or the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act.
“All existing SIM subscribers/end-users shall register within one hundred eighty (180) days from effectivity of the Act,” according to Memorandum Circular 001-12-2022 issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Dec. 12,
“The registration may be extended for a period not exceeding one hundred twenty (120) days. Failure to register the existing SIM within the period prescribed shall result in the automatic deactivation of the SIM. The deactivated SIM may only be reactivated after registration; provided, however, that reactivation shall be made not later that five (5) days after such automatic deactivation,” it added.
To register, an individual needs to provide the following information: full name, date of birth, sex, present/official address (choice by end-user), type of ID presented and ID number presented.