By Alec Go
There will be no extension for the registration period of subscriber identity module (SIM) Cards as the April 26 deadline stays, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
This is despite the request to telecommunications entities to extend the deadline.
“At this point, there is no extension of SIM registration,” the DICT said in a statement.
“With the 26 April 2023 registration deadline drawing near, we encourage everyone to register to promote the responsible use of SIMs and provide law enforcement agencies the necessary tools to crack down on perpetrators who use SIMs for their crimes, consistent with the declared policy of the law,” it added.
Subscribers still have a week to register their SIM cards.
The DICT reminded the public that unregistered SIM cards past the deadline will be deactivated.
Deactivated SIM card users will not be able to receive and send calls and messages, access mobile applications, and use digital wallets.
“The DICT reiterates that the SIM Registration Act places primacy on the fundamental rights of Filipinos and is replete with safeguards to ensure the confidentiality and security of user data,” the DICT said.
As of April 17, a total of 73,033,833 SIM cards have been registered, including 31,585,578 for Globe, 36,115,938 for Smart, and 5,332,317 for Dito. – gb