Bong Go to subscribers: Consider the benefits of SIM registration
Published Apr 26, 2023 01:35 am
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has called on subscribers to avail of the mandatory subscriber identity module (SIM) registration for their own benefit and protection.
Go made the call as he expressed his support over the government’s decision to extend the deadline for mandatory SIM card registration in the country by 90 days.
The extension came in response to consumers’ appeal for more time to register their SIM cards, especially for those who were not prepared for the new requirement.
“Para sa mga kababayan nating hindi pa rehistrado ang kanilang SIM cards, samantalahin na ninyo ang palugit na ito upang hindi maputol ang mga serbisyong nakukuha gamit ang mobile phone (For our people who have not yet registered their SIM cards, take advantage of this extension so that the services obtained with the mobile phone are not interrupted),” said Go in an interview.
“Para din sa inyong proteksyun at ikabubuti ng lahat ang hangarin ng batas na ito (The purpose of this law is also for your protection and the good of all),” he stressed.
Go disclosed on Tuesday, April 25, that he recently appealed to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) “to make such an extension to allow more users to register given that this is the first time we are making this mandatory.”
But it is also crucial to ensure that the registration process is simple and accessible to everyone, Go insisted.
“Unang-una, dapat turuan natin ang ating mga kababayan at dapat gawing simple ‘yung pagrerehistro. ‘Yung pinaka-simple, (First of all, we must educate our countrymen and make registration simple. The most simple),” said Go.
“Importante dito, malaman sino ang owner, at dapat po hindi matigil ang serbisyo. Diyan na po magkakaletse-letse kapag naputol ang SIM, dahil hindi po makarehistro (It is important to know who the owner is, and the service must not be stopped. That's where things get messy when the SIM is cut off, because it can't be registered),” he added.
As of April 20, the government reported that approximately 45 percent of the 168 million subscribers across the country have completed the registration process for their SIM cards.
DICT Secretary Ivan Uy had said that one of the major problems that needs to be addressed is the difficulty some subscribers face when trying to obtain a valid identification card necessary for registration.