A lawmaker has filed a resolution calling for an inquiry into the ongoing proliferation of text scams, despite the enactment of the SIM Card Registration Act in 2022.
In a statement, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian disclosed that he has filed Resolution No. 1324, stressing the need to strengthen cybersecurity to combat scammers.
"Given the crucial role of technology in nation-building, it is essential to strengthen cybersecurity and verification measures and implement additional safeguards to combat the continuous proliferation of text scams in the country," said the senator.
However, the lawmaker opposes proposals for in-person SIM card registration, citing the inconvenience it would cause consumers.
Meantime, Globe Telecom Inc. general counsel Froilan M. Castelo also expressed opposition to face-to-face SIM registration.
"Requiring mandatory appearance for SIM registration runs contrary to the principle of universal access. People from the countryside cannot and will not be able to do face-to-face registration because of the distance and challenges to travel," Castelo said.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has stated it will review proposals to amend the SIM Card Registration Act, focusing on tightening registration rules.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro expressed openness to amending the law to require in-person registration, stressing that such an amendment should be considered.