Poe prods DICT, NTC to increase efforts vs. 'unabated surge' of text scams

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) should increase their efforts in addressing the "unabated surge" of text scams, Senator Grace Poe said Thursday.

"The unabated surge of text scams has brought further hardship and distress on our people who are already mired in debts. This must stop," Poe, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services, said in a statement, citing personal accounts on receiving several "unwanted texts" from prepaid mobile phone numbers promising jobs, extra income, incentives and freebies.

"As more rely on digital technology to cope with the hard times, so must we intensify all necessary safeguards against heightened risks that can overturn our people's efforts at recovery," she added.

Poe said while the NTC had issued a directive ordering major telecommunications companies such as Globe, Smart, and Dito to warn subscribers against fake jobs, these unwanted text messages have persisted with new gimmicks to bait and deceive mobile phone users.

"Hindi natin dapat hayaang patuloy na pagpiyestahan ng mga manloloko at sindikato sa likod ng mga text messages na ito ang mga kababayan nating lugmok pa rin sa hagupit ng pandemya at tumataas pang presyo ng langis at bilihin," Poe said.

(We should not allow these scammers and the syndicates behind these text messages to continue deceiving our countrymen who are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic and the increasing prices of oil and goods.)

Further, the lawmaker urged the telecommunications companies to beef up their efforts in blocking SIM cards which were used for criminal activities.

She then mentioned the need to refile the SIM Card Registration Bill in the 19th Congress to help institutionalize protection for mobile phone users in the country.

"The whole of government must ensconce a safer and more secure digital and mobile phone use in the country to protect our people from falling deeper into poverty and helplessness. To most, the mobile phone is their only means to survive, and it shouldn't at all be compromised," the senator said.

In the 18th Congress, Poe had sponsored the Sim Card Registration Bill. However, it was vetoed by outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte before the sine die adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives..

The proposed Sim Card Registration Bill mandates all public telecommunications entities  to require the registration of SIM cards as a prerequisite to their sale and activation.

The bill also proposes all social media networks to also require the real name and phone number of users upon creation of account.

Duterte rejected the proposed law due to the provision on social media registration. —Hana Bordey/KBK, GMA News