Poe lauds NTC for on-time IRR for SIM registration
SENATOR Grace Poe, on Tuesday, Dec 13, 2022, lauded the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for meeting the deadline of publication for the “Implementing Rules and Regulations” or IRR, and for being “on track” with the timeline as provided under Republic Act (RA) No. 11934 or the SIM Registration Act.
Poe noted the “vague” verification process under the said IRR with grave concern.
“The importance of having a verification process cannot be emphasized enough it serves as the first line of defense against the misuse of our mobile telecommunication systems to perpetrate national security threats and identity theft in the case of end-users,” she said.
Furthermore, she stated that a strong and definite verification process used in standard Know-Your-Customer (KYC) procedures are a proactive guard against possible abuses in the system.
The NTC, in accordance with the IRR, will continuously issue the necessary guidelines to guide the telcos in performing their duties under the law, particularly specifying the processes for verifying submitted information.
“This will facilitate the immediate implementation of the law,” she said.
Poe further said that the verification process may include the in-platform or in-website facial validation, such as a selfie scan that we see in apps like GCash, and the cross-checking of the submitted information.
“These are the sophisticated verification systems that we also see in model jurisdictions like Singapore, which we all know has effectively implemented SIM registration,” she clarified.
Poe maintained that Congress shall “continue to exercise its oversight functions and shall monitor the strict implementation of this Act.”
“This law was created precisely to stomp down the proliferation of fraud and crime in the communications system. We will not allow for it to be another avenue for the commission of fraud and identity theft,” she stressed.
Poe called on the telcos to invest in their platforms to make this transition and implementation as safe, convenient and accessible as possible for our mobile subscribers.
“They are reminded of their duty to serve the end-users and to ensure that the purpose of the SIM Registration Act is carried out accordingly,” she said.
