Grace Poe: Enhancing SIM registration process better than halting it

Sen. Grace Poe believes that current problems being encountered in the online SIM registration process can be solved with better implementation than hitting pause on it temporarily.

This is in response to the suggestion of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission's (PAOCC) to temporarily stop the online registration after fake identities and information were able to get through the system.

Poe explained that the problem lies not within the SIM Registration law, but with its enforcement.

"The law has enough teeth against fraudsters as well as safeguards to (the) privacy of our people,” Poe said in a statement on Friday, September 15.

Concerned agencies and telcos must be able to address the the loopholes in their effective implementation without having to temporarily suspend the registration.

She believes that backing down against scammers should not be an option.

"Eradicating text scams does not need to disenfranchise legitimate users," said Poe, who ho chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services.

"Stopping online registration at this point is a cop out to a problem that can be solved by better implementation of a well-intentioned law," she added.

The senator also mentioned that it is within the government's responsibility to improve the system. She added that that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is currently working hand-in-hand with telcos to reinforce validation measures and improve the SIM registration process.

"Under the updated guidelines, we are pushing for improvement in the verification and post-validation procedures by requiring mandatory live selfies, facial liveness, and face matching," Poe stated.

She added that they are also pushing for the prohibition of the use of stock photo options, or accepting any form of ID that does not match with a live selfie, in order to stop fraudulent registrations. This way, no more monkey or anime character photos will get through.

Poe said that telcos must be more proactive in guarding their databases adding that there are many technological advances available that they must invest in to protect their subscribers.

She also urged telcos to closely coordinate with law enforcers to prevent fraudulent registrations.

"At the end of the day, it will not be enough to filter out fraudulent messages. To address these growing and evolving digital scams,  we have to root out its source," Poe said.

"What is needed, as provided in the SIM Registration Act, is a concerted effort between stakeholders and relevant agencies to counter these cybercrimes at all fronts," she added.