AN OFFICIAL of the agency tasked to implement the SIM Registration Act yesterday said they are already discussing a possible extension of its deadline as registration figures remain low.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said only 38.8 percent of the 168.9 million subscriber identity modules (SIMs) in the country have so far been registered, based on the latest figures from the National Telecommunications Commission.
Telecommunications company subscribers have only until April 26 to register their SIMs or risk deactivation.
“Wala pang policy kung mag-e-extend. Pinag-uusapan sa ngayon, and we are mindful of the April 26 deadline vis-à-vis the very low adoption, or registration statistics,” said DICT assistant secretary Jeffrey Ian Dy.
Telcos and government agencies are already studying how to make the process of SIM registration easier, Dy said.
“Sa postpaid kasi madali. You just send a keyword to a number. Reply to their text lang. Maybe they have to try to also make it simpler, also for people na nasa prepaid na mag-register,” Dy noted.
Telcos said many subscribers are unable to register their SIMs as they lack valid government IDs.
The DICT meanwhile continued to appeal to the public to register their SIMs, saying this will help curb text scams.
Both Globe and Smart have already appealed to the government to extend the deadline for SIM registration.
Dy however said he is personally not in favor of a 120-day extension, adding “Kasi magiging complacent na naman ‘yung mga tao.” (ABS-CBN News)
