MANILA, Philippines — Mobile phone users run the risk of "automatic deactivation" should they fail to register their SIM cards by April 26 — two months earlier than what was reported before — prompting complaints from a network of digital advocates.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) last Thursday warned SIM subscribers that they only have roughly three more months to register, even if the 180-day registration process only started last December 27.
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"The SIM registration law says that the subscribers have 180 days to register their SIM cards," Digital Pinoys national campaigner Ronald Gustilo said Saturday in a statement.
"December 27, 2022 is the effectivity date of the law and the 180th day is June 25, 2023."
Smart Communications Inc., Friday, stated that the deadline for registration is scheduled to end on June. However, rival telecommunications giant Globe contradicted this by stating an April deadline.
Registration problems and disenfranchisement
It could be remembered that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act 11934 last October 2022, in a bid to resolve crimes perpetuated by mobile users. However, concerns about "security," "privacy" and glitches continue to plague its users.
Last month, scores of mobile users found it very difficult to register after multiple online portals of telcos were laid inaccessible due to heavy traffic.
"The government is still unable to address the registration woes of subscribers without smart gadgets and internet connection. Reports gathered from far-flung areas and depressed urban centers says that many are yet to register because of technological limitations," said Gustilo.
"[M]any subscribers are still in danger of disenfranchisement because of DICT's arbitraty and illegal shortening of the registration period, when they should have first perfected the process and employed measures to ensure that no subscriber will be left behind."
Digital Pinoys urge the DICT to follow what the law prescribes and consider extending the deadline instead of shortening the registration period.
The SIM card registration act's implementing rules and regulations earlier stated that the registration could be extended by authorities by 120 days even after the 180-day period.