Secure all data on SIM cards, gov’t urged
A House leader called on the National Telecommunications Commission and the National Privacy Commission to ensure that all data collected under the SIM Card Registration Law should be well-guarded and secure.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, issued the statement following the recent breach of personal data of as many as 1 million Filipinos, as stored in an exposed and compromised database of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
According to Salceda, the SIM Card registries will be the largest source of personal data in the country.
“ So, they will be targets. I call on the NTC and the NPC to make the necessary reviews and proactive measures to ensure that a similar data breach will not take place in SIM registries,” Salceda said.
“That probably means a periodic audit of privacy protocols of telecommunications companies by the NPC. And that has to be sooner rather than later,” he added.
Salceda also adds that handlers of personal data under SIM Card Registration, such as Local Government Units who do registration activities, should be more guarded about the data of their clients.
“LGUs are holding their own SIM Card registration activities. That’s great, but we need a baseline of rules and protections,” Salceda added.
