The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said that over 12% of SIM cards in the Philippines have been registered with their respective telecommunications firms as of January 15, 2023.
Noting data from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the DICT bared that a total of 20,551,294 SIMs have been registered. The said number is 12.16% of the 168.977 million subscribers in the whole country.
Smart Communications Inc. logged 10.041 million SIMs or 14.77% of its 67.995 million subscribers; Globe with 8.764 million SIMs or 9.97% of its 87.873 million subscribers; and DITO with 1.744 million or 13.31% of its 13.108 million subscribers.
The DICT asked subscribers to register before the April 26, 2023 deadline.
“SIM Registration is being implemented in conjunction with the Data Privacy Act. Encryption of data is mandatory,” DICT spokesperson Anna Mae Lamentillo said in a statement released to reporters.
“PTEs must ensure that data of end-users are secured, encrypted, and protected at all times,” she added.
Last December 27, the IRR of the SIM Card Registration Act took effect, requiring all public telecommunications entities (PTEs) to create their own registration platform. Users are given 180 days to register their SIM cards. Unregistered SIM cards will be deactivated.
— Ronald Espartinez