SIM Registration Deadline Extended
The deadline for the mandatory registration of all SIM cards in the Philippines has been extended for another 90 days, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced on Tuesday. The SIM Registration Act, which was passed to help curb SMS-linked scams, initially set the deadline on Wednesday, April 26.
However, telco companies raised concerns over the low registration turnout and requested an extension due to the lack of valid IDs and digital literacy as obstacles for their subscribers to complete the registration process. The country’s major telcos, DITO Telecommunity, Globe Telecom, and Smart Communications, welcomed the extension and lobbied for it to accommodate all their subscribers.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) reported that only less than 60 percent of the total 168 million active SIMs in the Philippines have been registered as of last Saturday. Failure to register may result in limited telco services.
In response to the extension, telco companies have yet to release a statement. DICT Secretary Ivan Uy is expected to hold a press conference following a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday morning.
The extension aims to give more time for the public to comply with the SIM registration requirement and help the government eradicate SMS-linked scams. The deadline has been moved to July 26, 2023, to accommodate all telco subscribers who have yet to register their SIMs.
