No extension of April 26 SIM Card registration deadline - DICT

No extension of April 26 SIM Card registration deadline - DICT

There will be no extension for the deadline of April 26 for SIM registration, according to the DICT.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has clarified that there will be no extension to the April 26 deadline for SIM card registration.

Under the Memorandum Circular Order No. 10-16 issued in 2016, all prepaid SIM card owners in the country must register their personal and biometric information to their respective mobile network providers. The said order was done in the aftermath of a grenade blast in Davao City last September 2016, where authorities traced the source of the explosives to an unregistered SIM card.

However, as the deadline approaches, many Filipinos scramble to comply with the government's directive. With some reports saying that 80 percent of the estimated 130 million mobile subscribers in the country have yet to register their SIM card, the DICT has pushed for strict compliance and warned of sanctions for those who will fail to follow.

The DICT's Director, Maria Lourdes Yaptinchay, explained that the government had provided sufficient notice and time for the public to comply with the deadline. “We have given them four years, and this is not a new policy. We have extended the deadline twice. We believe everyone had ample time and opportunity to comply with this regulation,” Yaptinchay stated.

Furthermore, Yaptinchay emphasized that registration is crucial in ensuring national security and public safety. “Through mandatory SIM card registration, we address the issue of anonymity, which is very important in crime prevention and in ensuring public safety,” she added.

While the government is adamant about enforcing the deadline, there were calls to reconsider the policy due to logistical issues and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yaptinchay acknowledged that the pandemic had made it challenging to comply with the directive but noted that the risks of unregistered numbers are far greater than the inconvenience of registration.

Despite the backlash and criticism directed towards the DICT and the government, the department has maintained its stance on the deadline. They will continue to conduct monitoring and inspection activities, as well as impose penalties on telecommunication companies and individuals who will violate the directive. With the deadline looming, it is up to the public to comply and avoid sanctions.

The mandatory SIM card registration provides a means of tracking and tracing individuals who use mobile phones for criminal activities and, at the same time, affords legitimate users with added security. The government's directive is a necessary measure to ensure peace and order in the country, and it is high time that it is fully implemented.