NTC sees drop in text scam-related complaints amid SIM registration

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has seen a substantial drop in text scam-related complaints, which it attributes primarily to the enactment and implementation of the SIM Card Registration Act.

“This is the first law signed by the president and the NTC immediately noticed that since this law was implemented, from 1,500 complaints [a day] about text scams, it immediately dropped to 100 complaints a day, and we are not yet at the deadline of April 26,” NTC Legal Branch officer-in-charge Atty. Andres Castelar Jr. said in a statement.

As of March 9, 2023, mobile telecommunications service providers have booked 42.7 million successful SIM registrations, accounting for 25.24% of the total 168 million active subscribers all over the country.

With only few having registered in over a month before the deadline, the Department of Information and Communications Technology said it is planning to extend the SIM registration deadline beyond April 26.

To boost registration and expand its information campaign, the NTC conducted an event aimed at informing senior citizens in the cities of Malabon and Caloocan about the key features of the Republic Act No. 11934 or the SIM Registration Act.

“The telecom providers are the custodians of the SIM Register and the law provides harsh penalties for intentional disclosures of SIM registration data or breaches caused by negligence,” Castelar said.

The NTC officials told the elderly of Malabon and Caloocan in attendance that their personal information is protected by the law.

To date, 222 remote areas within the country have been visited by NTC’s Facilitated SIM Registration caravan. —Ted Cordero/KBK, GMA Integrated News