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Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Registration Act

AN ANALYTICAL ESSAY

In Partial Fulfillment for the Requirements in

PHILIPPINE POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
A Specialized Subject
Humanities & Social Sciences

Submitted by:

Diocille Aliah Y. Elisan

Submitted to:

Ma’am Emmalyn T. Catubig

October 23, 2022

 R.A. 11934 or the SIM Registration Act: What’s this for?

The recent law which is the mandatory registration and identification of all mobile
phone users purchasing a pre-paid SIM card that will assist in stifling scammers who
send deceptive text messages has been passed. According to the House of
Representative, the SIM Registration Act is an excellent first step in securing Filipinos'
privacy, which is now exposed to invasion by dishonest people who use personal
information to misrepresent, cheat, or swindle customers. President Marcos' signature
on this crucial piece of legislation only serves to highlight his administration's
appreciation of the need to put in place safeguards that will protect Filipino consumers
from cybercriminals and online scammers. I agreed with this law since it helps securing
and protecting Filipinos' privacy, which is now at risk of intrusion by persons who aren’t
honest or either truthful to do such bad thing to their fellow man.

In order to prove my point, the Sim Card Registration Act (RA 11934), all
business users must securely register their sim cards using the telco's website or
another registration tool. It seeks to carry out its responsibility to uphold law and order
and safeguard the citizens from criminals. According to the new regulation, all public
telecommunications organizations (PTEs) or direct dealers will now need SIM card
customers to produce a legitimate identity document with a photo in order to register.
The palace claims that the data collected through the aforementioned registration would
be kept private until users provide permission for access. A properly filed subpoena or
court order will require telco firms to divulge the entire name and address of SIM card
customers. Law enforcement authorities looking into crimes committed using mobile
devices may send a formal complaint to the aforementioned businesses requesting
access to information on SIM card registration. (Icogo, 2022).

Another evidence-based source, security risks are persistent in 2022 alone.

Phishing schemes, for instance, are frequently used to trick Filipinos using short
message platforms. Because SIM card users may remain anonymous, it is far more
difficult for law enforcement to identify and apprehend those responsible for these
frauds. As mobile-based cybercrimes increase, private businesses and individuals are
stepping up their cybersecurity efforts. The SIM Card Registration Act intends to hold
SIM card users accountable and help law enforcement find individuals responsible for
crimes committed using mobile devices. This rule is viewed as a means of bolstering
government efforts to combat frauds that are carried out through text and internet
messages, which have grown increasingly common over the past several years (Globe,
2022).
 Additionally, due to the need that Philippine telecommunication firms establish
their own websites for the activation process, this new rule would significantly aid in
making the registration and activation of SIM cards easier. The legislation already has a
nice goal, but the most crucial thing is to carry it out. It does not imply that fraud and
scams will never occur just because SIM card registration is currently in place.
Scammers and unauthorized promoters will just have to figure out this new procedure
as an additional puzzle before they can take advantage of victims. This only implies that
we should continue to exercise caution and care while communicating with individuals
online and through social media (Belgica, 2022).

I therefore conclude that all Filipinos gain from the additional layer of protection
provided by mandatory SIM registration, which also considerably lowers and prevent the
amount of spam and phishing SMS messages. Text message responsibility is
emphasized by the SIM Card Registration Law, which promotes responsible
communication service use. After the passage of this law, criminals will no longer be
able to profit from the anonymity offered by prepaid SIM cards.

References

Belgica, 2022. How SIM Card Registration Act can revolutionize government
transactions
https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/10/20/opinion/columns/how-sim-card-registration-act-
can-revolutionize-government-transactions/1862967

Globe, 2022. SIM Card Registration Law: What You Need to Know
https://www.globe.com.ph/go/technology/article/sim-card-registration-law.html#gref

House of Representative, 2022. ROMUALDEZ THANKS PBBM FOR SIGNING SIM

REGISTRATION ACT INTO LAW
https://www.congress.gov.ph/press/details.php?pressid=12252&fbclid=IwAR0sbojL-
3aZ1vS4741kS_Zp_VPMGObt-GnSV_5F1KfVcpGyxOh_1td_UyA#:~:text=President
%20Marcos%20signed%20into%20law,Palace%20for%20the%20President's
%20approval

Icogo, 2022. Breaking: Bongbong signs SIM Card Registration Act into law!
https://www.gizguide.com/2022/10/sim-card-registration-now-a-law.html?
fbclid=IwAR1Mx5MLVcABpxBB9zMfqPWAxk3vJ5wauY-
TtElmZ5PRHSF7h8XMJeuuc4s