SIM card registration bill OK'd by House panel
The House of Representatives Committee on Information and Communications Technology has approved a consolidated bill pertaining to the registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.
The panel approved a consolidated measure consisting of 14 different House bills (HBs) on Monday, Sept. 5. Committee Chairman and Navotas City lone district Rep. Tobias Tiangco presided over the hearing.
Of the 14, a total of 10 focused on making SIM card registration mandatory. These are HB Nos. 14, 59, 794, 841, 951, 2113, 2478, 2923, 3299, and 3327.
Two of the bills, HB Nos. 116 and 1528 pertain to the regulation of the sale of pre-paid SIM cards.
Finally, two of them refer to the eradication of criminal activities that are perpetrated through the use of mobile phones, internet connection, and the use of SIM cards. These HB Nos. 506 and 2819.
Out of all the bills, HB 14 was selected to serve as the lead measure. It was introduced by Speaker Martin Romualdez, Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Romualdez and Jude Acidre, and Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman and Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda cited Rule X, Section 48 of the rules of the House of Representatives on the quick consolidation of the 14 measures.
“In case of bills or resolutions that are identified as priority measures of the House, which were previously filed in the immediately preceding Congress and have been approved on 3rd reading, the same may be disposed of as matters already reported upon the approval of majority of the Members of the committee present, there being a quorum,” read Section 48.
The measure itself was approved on third reading in the 18th Congress and even hurdled the Senate. However, it was vetoed by former President Rodrigo Duterte after he said it warranted further study.
“This humble representation is cognizant of the value of democratizing mobile communication to the public. The increase in connectivity through affordable SIM cards and mobile phones has made government service delivery more efficient and possible in the far flung areas of the country. However, we are also conscious of the fact that the accessibility of SIM cards has encouraged unscrupulous actors to take advantage and use this in the commission of criminal acts,” Acidre said during the panel hearing, referring to the use of SIM cards in facilitating text scams and phishing attacks.
Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel was the sole objector to the approval of the measure. He said that he would file his dissenting opinion in the subsequent committee report.