Latest data from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) showed that the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card registrants in the country has breached 17 million.
NTC, more than two weeks after the mandatory registration began, said the total number of registered SIMs in the country has climbed to 17,115,910. This, however, is only 10.13 percent of the 168,977,773 existing subscribers in the Philippines.
Smart Communications Inc. still has the largest number of registrants at 8,037,862. It was followed by Globe Telecommunications with 7,556,037 and Dito Telecommunity with 1,522,011 registered subscribers as of Jan. 10.
Earlier, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Spokesperson and Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo said the update is “a little bit low” because problems occurred during the first few days of the implementation.
Meanwhile, NTC warned the public against individuals who might be taking advantage of technically and computer illiterate persons by offering “free or paid assistance” for the latter’s compliance to the mandatory registration.
“Hindi inirerekomenda ng NTC ang naglalabasan sa social media na alok ng mga pribadong indibidwal ng pagtulong sa pagpaparehistro ng inyong SIM (The NTC does not recommend the circulating social media offers of private individuals providing assistance in registering your SIM),” the commission’s advisory read.
SIM registration is free. Pursuant to Republic Act No. 11934 or the SIM Registration Act, all existing and new subscribers shall register their SIMs within 180 days beginning Dec. 27. Failure to comply with the said registration will result in the deactivation of a user’s SIM.