IN order to make subscriber identification module (SIM) card owners feel the worth and value of registering, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is looking to remove the services of unlisted SIM cards over the 90-day extension for their registration, among which include the popular social media apps.
According to Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy the subscribers who would still not register their SIM cards during the extension period will encounter a “gradual” loss of phone services.
“We are exploring some options that will be available to us [to] incentivize our public to register,” Uy said.
“We did not put those conditions in the first SIM card registration but because of our observation that people are not taking our deadline seriously, we are now exploring other options to incentivize registration,” he added.
Presently, Uy said that the DICT is looking at telcos on the registration process during the extension period.
“We will observe the rate of registration and after a certain period, we’re seeing maybe 30 days or 60 days into registration, we will start deactivating some services on the SIM card,” Uy said.
“Let’s say after 60 days, you will lose your access to your Facebook accounts or your TikTok accounts. You can still use your phone, you can still call, you can still text and then after a certain period, you will lose your outgoing calls so that way, ramdam niyo kung ano effect na di kayo nagpaparehistro,” he added.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday approved the 90-day extension of the mandatory SIM registration beyond the April 26 deadline.
The DICT is looking to register 70% of active SIMs within the 90-day extension.
Catherine R. Cueto
