What's Happening?

No deadline extension for SIM registration ‘at this point’ – DICT

by Carl Santos

PUBLISHED ON April 19, 2023

The deadline for mobile phone users to register their SIM cards is still April 26.

Government data shows that as of April 17, 2023, only 43.47% of the 168 million mobile subscribers nationwide had registered their SIMs, sparking calls to extend the registration deadline.

In a statement on Wednesday, April 19, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it had received the request of telecommunications companies to extend the registration period. The SIM Registration Act (Republic Act 11934) allows an extension of up to 120 days.

“However, at this point, there is no extension of SIM registration. 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,” the DICT said.

“Also, the DICT reminds the public that non-registration will result in the deactivation of their SIMs and eSIMs, barring them from receiving and sending calls and text messages and accessing mobile applications and digital wallets,” it added.

Telecommunications firms began the process of registering SIM cards last December in compliance with the SIM Registration Act, which was signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in October 2022.