SIM law takes full effect by yearend — Poe

The government is expected to roll out Republic Act 11934, or the Subscriber Identity Module Registration Act by yearend, Senator Grace Poe said.

Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Service and author of the measure, disclosed that its Implementing Rules and Regulations will take full effect by 27 December.

She made the disclosure in sponsoring the P11.32-billion proposed 2023 budget of the Department of Information and Communications Technology before the Senate plenary.

Quoting Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan Uy, Poe said the agency is expected to promulgate on 12 December the IRR of the law.

She said an IRR would elucidate details on SIM registration requirements and processes, giving telecommunication entities and the public adequate knowledge and time to comply.

“The telcos are also waiting for the IRR so it will be clearer to them how to police these texts,” Poe said.

She added that there will be a public hearing on 5 December to gather inputs from stakeholders.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the SIM Registration Act into law last 10 October — the first legislation enacted under his administration.

Under the measure, all SIM card users are required to register their SIMs as a deterrent to mobile phone-aided crimes such as text scams.

The said registration is a prerequisite to the activation of the SIM.

All existing SIM users must register within a period of 180 days, which could be extended for another 120 days.

The National Telecommunications Commission, in coordination with the DICT, the National Privacy Commission, telcos and consumer groups, is mandated to issue the IRR 60 days from the law’s effectivity.