The National Telecommunications Commission advises the public to register their mobile cards early once registration starts on Dec 27. - PDI
MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Wednesday (Dec 14) reminded the public to prepare for the registration of their subscriber identity module (SIM) cards starting two days after Christmas, saying that this will be done online to protect their privacy.
NTC consultant Edgardo Cabarios said that while the law does not impose a limit on the number of SIM cards one may register, the owners should be mindful about any unauthorised use.
President Marcos signed the SIM card registration law, Republic Act No. 11934, the first law he enacted, on Oct. 10. The NTC released its implementing rules on Dec 12, setting a six-month registration period for all SIM cards — both postpaid and prepaid, old and new — beginning on Dec 27.
Speaking at Wednesday’s Laging Handa briefing, Cabarios said a user with multiple SIM cards should be responsible for all of them because each one of the cards carried that person’s identity. One might be forgotten or lost and used by someone else, he said.
“And if it’s used for illegal activities, you will be the number one suspect, the primary suspect. So, you might have second thoughts about registering too many SIMs,” he said.
Cabarios expects that people will now think twice before registering multiple SIM cards under their names.
He said that SIM cards that get lost or stolen should be reported immediately to the telecommunications company which is obligated to deactivate them within 24 hours to prevent their use for illegal activities.
