(Eagle News) — The 180-day period of registration of sim cards under the newly-passed Sim Card Registration Act began on Tuesday, December 27.
Under the law, existing mobile subscribers have until April 26, 2023 to register their sim cards.
Failure to do so will result in their sim cards being deactivated.
Meanwhile, sim cards being sold will only be activated once the required documents are submitted by the buyer.
Among the details the government requires for registration are the individual’s name, date of birth, address, and a valid government picture ID or other government documents.
For businesses, meanwhile, the business name and address, and a full name of an authorized signatory are required.
Telcos have started disseminating the links to the pages where their subscribers may register.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology has also warned the public against emails sent by scammers supposedly for the sim card registration.
Scammers make the emails appear they come from the country’s telecommunications companies, according to the DICT.
“[Subscribers] are advised not to provide personal information to the senders nor click on links that may be included in the email messages,” the DICT said.
Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government directed local government units to assist their constituents in the registration, especially those based in farflung areas.
Penalties
Failure to register a sim card will result in penalties, according to the law.
The fine for the first offense is from P100,000 to P300,000.
Meanwhile, those who commit the same offense two times may face a penalty of P300,000 to P500,000.
For the third and subsequent offenses, an individual may face fines ranging from P500,000 to P1,000,000.
The submission of false or fictitious information for the registration is also a criminal act, and may result in imprisonment of up to two years and fines of up to P300,000, according to the law.