The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is reviewing the SIM Registration Act (RA 11934) to address the growing concern of text scams linked to SIM card fraud. A key proposal involves the mandatory personal appearance of individuals for SIM registration, similar to processes for securing driver’s licenses and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearances.
This review follows criticism of the current online registration system, which critics claim is susceptible to abuse, enabling individuals to fraudulently sell identities. Despite existing penalties—ranging from two to six years of imprisonment and fines up to P300,000—the current system remains vulnerable.
In response, the NTC issued Memorandum Order No. 010-09-2023, outlining guidelines for the handling of data submitted during SIM registration. This order includes directives for public telecommunications entities (PTEs) to enhance their SIM registration systems and take additional measures to validate already registered SIM cards. As part of public safety efforts, the NTC also ordered PTEs to deactivate clickable links in person-to-person text messages.
In 2024, the NTC proposed amendments to the SIM Registration Act in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. These amendments would grant the NTC the authority to regulate SIM ownership and potentially limit the number of valid government-issued identification cards for registration. Additionally, the NTC recommended the creation of a validation platform for government-issued IDs to improve the security of the registration process.
Meanwhile, PTEs have made significant progress in combating text scams and SIM fraud. Last year, they blocked over 3.3 billion scam messages and deactivated more than 3.1 million fraudulent SIM cards. These efforts have contributed to the reduction of text scams and SIM fraud across the country.
The NTC remains committed to effectively implementing the SIM Registration Act and achieving its objectives of curbing text scams and strengthening mobile security in the Philippines.
