VALENZUELA City 1st District Representative Rex Gatchalian has hailed the signing into law of the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., saying the days of “nefarious and fraudulent digital activities” aided by SIM are numbered.

“We thank President Marcos for immediately signing this landmark law. With the law in place, the necessary tool is now in place to eradicate, once and for all, the illicit activities involving the use of SIM, like text scams, phishing, and data breaches that had victimized countless Filipinos in the past,” Gatchalian, chairman of the House Committee on Local Government, said.

President Marcos signed Republic Act (RA) No. 11934 in ceremonies held at the Ceremonial Hall in Malacañang, just a few days after the House and the Senate sent the enrolled bill to the Palace.

Gatchalian, who was present during the signing ceremonies, is one of the principal authors of the bills consolidated into the SIM Registration Act in the House of Representatives by filing House Bill (HB) 794 immediately upon assuming office on July 1.

But more than witnessing the bill being enacted into law on his term, the lawmaker had extra reason to celebrate as it was Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who pursued the enactment of the measure while still a member of the House of Representatives in the 16th Congress.

“We are happy that we now have a law in place that will establish the system of registration to secure digital transactions, reduce fraud and address acts of criminal syndicates utilizing the SIM,” said Gatchalian.

The SIM Registration Act seeks to regulate the sale and distribution of SIM cards; promote end-user accountability; prevent the proliferation of mobile phone scams and data breaches; and assist law enforcement agencies in resolving crimes involving the use of mobile phone units.

Among the key provisions of the just-signed law include establishing a system of registration of SIMs for all users by submitting pertinent data electronically through a platform or website to be provided by the Public Telecommunication Entities (PTEs).

To regulate the registration and use of SIMs, all SIMs to be sold shall be in a deactivated state. It shall only be activated after the end-user completes the process of registration.

The registration shall carry the full name, date of birth, gender, and address of the end-user appearing in a valid government-issued identification document with a photo such as a passport, national ID, GSIS e-Card, digitized SSS ID, driver’s license, voter’s ID and senior citizen’s card among others.

It requires end-users to immediately inform the PTEs through its facility of any change in the information after registration, including requests for deactivation.

RA 11934 also provides provisions of confidentiality and non-disclosure of information which prohibit disclosure of any information of a subscriber, unless upon subpoena by a competent authority pursuant to an investigation based on a sworn complaint, that a specific mobile number was or is being used in the commission of a crime or that it was utilized as a means to commit a malicious, fraudulent or unlawful activity.

The confidentiality clause in the SIM card registration shall take effect at the point of activation.

It likewise mandates the registration of all existing SIM subscribers. Failure to comply within the prescribed period stated in the Act shall authorize the PTEs to deactivate its services to the specific existing SIM automatically.