THE House committee on information and communications technology on Monday approved a consolidated measure requiring the registration of all postpaid and prepaid mobile phone subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.
The panel chaired by Navotas Rep. Toby M. Tiangco approved several measures under House Bill (HB) Nos. 14, 59, 116, 506, 794, 841, 951, 1528, 2113, 2478, 2819, 2923, 3299 and 3327 introduced by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, Representatives Yedda Marie Romualdez (Tingog Party-list), Sandro Marcos, Jude Acidre, Jaime Fresnedi, Roy Loyola, Edvic Yap, Eric Go Yap, Paolo Duterte, Rex Gatchalian, Christian Tell Yap, Roman Romulo, Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Jr., Miguel Luis
Villafuerte, Virgilio Lacson, Keith Micah Tan, Tiangco, Rufus Rodriguez and Edwin Olivarez, respectively, to require SIM card registration to lessen scams and criminal activities.
“The mother bill is HB No. 14 filed by Speaker Martin Romualdez, the exact version approved in the last Congress,” Tiangco said who led in approving the consolidated measure.
The consolidated bill was approved on third and final reading in the previous 18th Congress.
It was Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales who moved for the consolidation of the several measures on SIM card registration.
Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda invoked Rule 10, Section 48 in swiftly approving the consolidated bill that authorizes the committees of the House of Representatives to dispose of priority measures already filed and approved on third reading in the immediately preceding Congress.
Rule 10 provides: “In case of bills or resolutions that are identified as priority measures of the House, which were previously filed in the immediately preceding Congress and have already been approved on third reading, the same may be disposed of as matters already reported upon
the approval of the members of the committee present, there being a quorum.”
In his sponsorship speech, Acidre said the unregulated SIM card market has been behind several mobile phone scams, ranging from simple text messages asking users to send cellular loads, to more sophisticated voice phishing methods and marketing spams that are used to gain
unauthorized access to sensitive personal information of unsuspecting mobile phone users.
“This humble representation is cognizant of the value of democratizing mobile communication to the public. The increase in connectivity through affordable SIM Cards and mobile phones has made government service delivery more efficient and possible in the far flung areas of
the country.
However, we are also conscious of the fact that the accessibility of SIM Cards has encouraged unscrupulous actors to take advantage and use this in the commission of criminal acts,” Acidre,
one of the principal authors of HB No. 14, said.
“With this in mind, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Congresswoman Yedda Romualdez, Ferdinand Alexander Marcos and myself are pleased to introduce HB No. 14 or An Act Requiring the Registration of Subscriber Identity Module Cards. This proposed bill shall require ownership
registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards to eradicate mobile phone-aided criminal activities. Moreover, it shall regulate the sale and distribution of SIM cards in order to promote end-user accountability, prevent the proliferation of mobile phone scams and data breaches, and to assist law enforcement agencies in resolving crimes involving the use of mobile phone units, within the limits imposed by data privacy laws and regulations. It is in this spirit that I ask my fellow members of this chamber to work with me in securing the immediate passage of this bill,” Acidre said.
At present, only SIM cards for postpaid mobile or cellular phone subscriptions are required to be registered.
The bill seeks to require ownership registration of SIM cards to eradicate mobile phone-aided criminal activities.
