The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is pushing for mandatory SIM Card registration to prevent fake booking and scams on delivery apps.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the measure was sought to combat online fraud and other crimes involving unregistered prepaid SIM cards.
“Kung hindi registered, hindi ma-trace kung sino ang mga tumatawag eh. Ito ‘yong isang paraan na nakikita namin para mabawasan or maisawan talaga ‘yong problema na nangyayari ngayon,” Lopez said.
Lopez said the DTI already talked to the country’s phone service providers regarding SIM registration.
In a statement, Globe said they support the measure as it will help the telco giant in its digital transformation.
However, a smooth process of gathering subscribers’ information must be ensured.
Smart likewise welcomed the proposal as it will help boost e-commerce but, the telco noted that government must study the registration process especially for the marginalized sector.
A bill seeking to require users of prepaid SIM cards to present a valid ID and to sign a control-numbered registration form issued by the service provider of the purchased SIM card was filed in the Senate.
A counterpart measure that seeks to track down criminals who use mobile phones with post-paid and pre-paid SIM for their illegal activities was approved in the third and final reading in the Lower House in 2018.
Both bills remain pending due to issues of data privacy.
