ILOILO City – Mobile phone end-users can start registering their subscriber identity modules (SIMs) today.
Public telecommunication entities (PTEs) or telecommunication companies such as Smart, Globe and DITO are now implementing Republic Act (RA) 11934, or the SIM Registration Act.
Lawyer Deo Virgil Tan, legal officer of National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Region 6, said the online platforms for registration provided by the three PTEs will be activated.
Here are the links to remember for the SIM card registration:
* for DITO subscribers – https://dito.ph/RegisterDITO
* for Globe subscribers – https://new.globe.com.ph/simreg
* for Smart subscribers – https://smart.com.ph/simreg
“Ma-start na ang SIM registration sang aton nga mga telcos, so ang tanan nga SIM card users puede sila ka log-in sa online platform or website nila,” said Tan in an exclusive interview with Panay News.
Both prepaid and postpaid subscribers are covered by the SIM Registration Act, Tan emphasized.
“For postpaid subscribers i-verify lang nila sa ila service providers ang ila plan nga sila ang users sang sina nga number or SIM card. There’s a link, may ara man option, kumbaga daw checkbox kon prepaid ka or postpaid,” he added.
For Globe Business Postpaid customers, their data and information are deemed included in the Globe platform. Globe will get in touch with their postpaid customers at a later time to confirm and/or complete their registration details to align it with the requirements of the law.
As explained by the NTC-6 legal officer, subscribers should register within 180 days starting today to avoid having their SIM deactivated.
If there are still many unregistered subscribers once the 180 days have lapsed, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) may order an extension for another 120 days.
After the extension, all unregistered SIM cards will be automatically deactivated.
As a last option, the NTC and DICT will grant a five-day grace period before permanent deactivation.
“Basically kon indi sila makapa-register sa sina nga timeline, automatic ma-deactivate ang ila SIM card. Meaning indi na nila magamit, madulaan na sila sang signal kag madulaan sang service,” added Tan.
“Deactivated state” refers to the condition or status of a SIM that renders it incapable of being used for outgoing and incoming calls, internet access, or sending and receiving messages, except for exclusively enabling and informing such a SIM to be registered.
The NTC-6 legal officer reminded subscribers to provide correct information when registering their SIM because there will be a corresponding penalty for those who give fictitious information.
“Indi gid sila magbutig sa information nga ihatag sa mga telcos kay siempre may criminal liability ina,” said Tan.
Under the implementing rules and regulations of RA 11934, the penalty of imprisonment ranging from six months to two years or a fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than P300,000, or both, shall be imposed upon anyone who provides false or fictitious information or who uses a fictitious identity or fraudulent identification documents to register a SIM.
Here are the data and information required to be filled in on the registration form:
For individual (natural person) end-users
* Full name
* Date of birth
* Sex
* Present/official address (choice by end-user)
* Type of ID presented; and
* ID number presented
For juridical entity end-users
* Business name
* Business address
* Full name of authorized signatory
For foreign national end-users
* Full name
* Nationality
* Date of birth
* Passport
* Address in the Philippines
* ID number or number of document presented
Meanwhile, these are the valid government-issued identification (ID) cards or other similar forms of documents with a photo needed to verify the identity of the end-user: Passport, Philippine Identification Card, Social Security Service, Government Service Insurance System e-card, driver’s license, National Bureau of Investigation clearance, police clearance, Firearms’ License to Own and Possess ID, Professional Regulation Commission ID, Integrated Bar of the Philippines ID, Overseas Workers Welfare Development ID, Bureau of Internal Revenue ID, Voters’ ID, and senior citizens’ ID, among others.
Only one valid government-issued ID is needed for the registration form, NTC-6 OIC regional director Leah Dela Cruz-Doromal clarified.
For a minor end-user, the registration of a SIM shall be under the name of the parent or guardian, and all of the following shall be presented:
* Any of the identification cards identified
* Consent of the minor’s parent or guardian to register the SIM
For remote areas without or with poor signal, Tan said that the NTC, DICT and PTEs, in coordination with concerned local government units (LGUs), are looking into the option of them visiting remote areas to provide registration forms.
As of now, the NTC-6 together with the DICT and PTEs have started listing the areas that belong in the island or hinter barangays without or with poor reception.
PENALTIES
For breach of confidentiality:
A fine of not less than P500,000 but not more than P4 million shall be imposed upon PTEs, its agents, or its employees who shall directly or indirectly reveal or disclose any information or data of an end-user obtained during the registration requirement under the act, unless otherwise permitted by the Act or other laws.
For breach of confidentiality due to negligence:
A fine of not less than P500,000 but not more than P4 million shall be imposed upon PTEs, its agents, or its employees who, due to negligence, shall reveal or disclose any information or data of an end-user obtained during the registration requirement under the act.
For failure or refusal to register a SIM:
The following fines shall be imposed upon PTEs who shall fail or refuse to register a SIM without a valid reason, despite compliance by the end-user with the requirements for SIM registration under the act.
* First offense – a fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than P300,000
* Second offense – a fine of not less than P300,000 but not more than P500,000
* Third and subsequent offenses – a fine of not less than P500,000 but not more than P1 million for every offense thereof.
Tan also informed the public that subscribers can visit the NTC-6 regional office located at Barangay Quintin Salas, Jaro district to be assisted by NTC-6 personnel during the online registration./PN