The Senate on Thursday approved on third and final reading a bill that seeks to require the registration of SIM cards as a way to curb criminal activities aided by mobile phones, the internet or other electronic communication devices.
With 22 affirmative votes, the chamber unanimously passed Senate Bill 2395, or the proposed SIM Card Registration Act, sponsored by Sen. Grace Poe. The House of Representatives earlier approved its version of the measure ahead of the Senate.
The approval of the bill came days after numerous BDO accounts were hacked to supposedly make "donations" to a certain Mark Nagoyo.
"The measure establishes another layer of security protection for Filipinos which will hopefully deter criminals from perpetrating their wicked plans. It is high time that we beef up our own infrastructures to address these threats to security," Poe said.
The bill mandates telcos and other public telecommunication entities to require the registration of SIM cards before they are sold and activated to deter communication-aided crimes like terrorism, text scams, bank fraud, among others.
Subscribers will be required to submit to PTEs a registration form containing their full name, date of birth and address, and present a valid government ID or similar documents to verify their identity before purchasing a SIM card.
Sellers may refuse the sale of SIM cards if the buyer would not comply with the registration.
Existing and active subscribers have one year from the effectivity of the measure to register with their PTEs. Failure to do so will authorize the telcos to deactivate the SIM card number.
Apart from SIM card registration, Senate Bill 2395 also mandates social media platforms to require users to register their real names and phone numbers before the creation of their accounts.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who introduced this amendment, said this provision would prevent anyone from making anonymous accounts and spread disinformation and hatred online.
Poe assured that this policy requiring SIM card registration will be implemented with full regard to a person's right to privacy.
"As a champion of privacy rights, we ensured that the measure was crafted in a manner that accords the highest respect for the Filipinos’ right to confidentiality. Such right is sacred now, and it will remain as such even after this bill becomes law and is enforced," she added.
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