Mandatory SIM card registration draws flak from progressives, cyber rights groups

The SIM Card Registration Act or Republic Act No. 11934, obliges all phone users to register their SIM cards within the 90-day extension period. In doing so, they will have to register their personal information, including their valid government-issued ID, to verify their identity. The SIM Card Registration deadline ended on 25 July, but telecommunications subscribers were given five days, lasting until 30 July to apply for reactivation, failure to do so, unregistered SIM cards faced automatic deactivation, which rendered them inoperable for text messaging, voice calls, and mobile data services, lose access to e-wallets, and mobile applications linked to SIM Card, among others.

While the new law aims at resolving cyber schemes, breaching the privacy of people remains a top issue. Progressive groups express strong disapproval as this can be used for state surveillance, targeting critics and activists. 

Renato Reyes, Bayan secretary-general, argues that the Philippine government is known for its “illegal surveillance and violations of the Data Privacy Act,” further noting that the government “has previous incidents of data leaks.” Not only are they notorious for that, but they are also infamous for perpetrating human rights violations. 

Sharing the same sentiment, Information Technology (IT) experts and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) rights advocates assert that this may be ineffective in curbing crimes and scams via phones or text. With a central database containing the registrants’ sensitive information, Mary Grace Mirandilla-Santos, a cybersecurity policy analyst, said that cyber attackers can easily target subscribers’ data. 

Meanwhile, of the 168,016,400 total active SIM cards in the country, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) recorded on 23 July, that more than 105 million, or more than 60% of active SIMs in the country are registered. While the government has extended the deadline for SIM Card Registration, the critics were invincible in sharing their sentiments about the disadvantages of Republic Act  No. 11934.  

Many telecommunications subscribers and social media users have voiced their opinions regarding the mandatory SIM Card Registration. According to Philstar, critics have expressed their concerns about the unconstitutionality of the SIM Card Registration Act. They argue that it “restricts the constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of speech and violates the right against unreasonable searches and seizures and the right to substantive due process.”

Despite the petition filed by various progressive groups and critics, the Supreme Court dismissed the request to issue a temporary restraining order against the said law on 25 April. Nevertheless, different groups continuously advocate for its repeal and are challenging the government to find alternative ways to address security concerns that do not compromise the privacy, inclusion, and freedom of citizens.

by Gracelie Tamayo & Ykia Mariano