‘Government-issued ID requirement a problem in SIM registration’

MANILA, Philippines — Government-issued identification (ID) as a requirement has been a problem in the ongoing subscriber identity module (SIM) registration, telecommunications companies (telcos) said yesterday.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Globe SIM chief sustainability and corporation communications officer Yolly Crisanto said that while there is better trending in the SIM registration among its subscribers, many of them have failed to register because of their lack of government-issued IDs.

Crisanto added that registering SIM cards through their microsite is very easy.

“The issue is around the IDs, of having government IDs. The other issue is, let’s face it, all are prepaid. Most SIM holders are prepaid. They are also not digital savvy,” she said.

She added they have seen it since December last year, when the SIM registration began, up to the present, as the April 26 deadline approaches.

“The registration is digital. The subscribers have little fear. There is a little bit of hand-holding. We have seen that through time, from December 2022 to (this month). We only see the challenges today, that is why we are pushing for an extension,” Crisanto said.

She added that the most easily accessible and available ID that subscribers can use as they register their SIMs is the barangay certificate.

In remote areas, however, barangays are not capable of issuing ID-like certificates, according to the Globe executive.

“The barangay certificate is the easiest ID. But when you go to the provinces, the barangay certification, not all barangays are capable of issuing ID-like barangay certificates. Sometimes, paper only. But what we are demanding are IDs. Some are submitting passport, driver’s license, but they have special skills. The PWD and senior citizens IDs. But these are only for PWDs and senior citizens,” she said.

She added that it has been long demanded by Globe that before implementing the SIM registration, the government should have waited for the completion of the issuance of the national ID, so that all will have government IDs that can be used for the SIM registration.

“That is really the challenge for all fronts. We went to all fronts with the government, the challenge is really the IDs,” Crisanto said.

DITO Telecommunity Corp. chief administrative officer Adel Tamano seconded Crisanto’s claims that the biggest problem among subscribers who want to register their SIM is the requirement of a government-issued ID.

One of the authors of the SIM Registration Act is proposing that the April 26 deadline be extended, saying this is allowed under the measure.

In a statement, Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte said the DICT and the NTC should consider extending the April 26 deadline to allow all subscribers to register.

“It is time for the DICT and NTC to seriously consider extending the registration period for, say, a month or two,” Villafuerte added. –  Sheila Crisostomo