SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E  
S. B. No. 1 1 6 0
of the *  r i t r l i r ^
’16 
SEP 19 
P 7.-03
B K n  .lV , !'
In tro d u ced  by SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA
AN ACT REQUIRING THE REGISTRATION OF ALL USERS OF PRE PAID 
SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE (SIM) CARDS
Explanatory Note
The popularity of prepaid mobil^ phones can be attributed to the ease and 
convenience an end user can purchase a prepaid or “Pay As You Go” 
mobile SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card from retailers without having to 
present identification. Unlike postpaid mobile phone users who are required to 
subm it identification papers before entering into a contract with a public 
telecom m unications entity (PTE), prepaid mobile phone users can activate 
their SIM and use their phones while rem aining anonym ous. Individuals with 
malicious and crim inal intent can exploit this blanket of anonymity enjoyed by 
prepaid mobile phone users.
The 
proposed 
act 
known 
as “Subscriber 
Identity 
Module 
(SIM) Card 
Registration Act” aim s for end users to be accountable for their usage of mobile 
com m unications by m andating SIM card registration. It gives direct sellers the 
responsibility of selling prepaid SIM cards only to users who are able to subm it 
a valid identification with photo. Direct sellers m ust further require the end 
users to accom plish and sign a control-num bered registration form issued by 
the respective PTE of the SIM card being purchased. PTEs will need to collect 
accomplished registration forms from direct sellers and subm it a copy to the 
National Telecom m unications Commission (NTC). PTEs are instructed to 
subm it an updated SIM card registration of their subscribers to NTC every six 
m onths.
Given the im portance of this m easure in minimizing the opportunity for certain 
parties to exploit the anonym ity provided by prepaid SIMs for malicious and 
criminal intent, the passage of this bill is urgently sought.
LO RETTLEG ARD A
Senator


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
iS llifl of the
•16 
SEP 19 
P 7 « 3
S E N A T E  
S. B. No. 1160
IU '( 1 iv :  P BY:
In tro d u ced  by SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA
AN ACT REQUIRING 
THE 
REGISTRATION 
OF 
ALL 
USERS 
OF 
PRE PAID SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE (SIM) CARDS
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assem bled:
1 
SECTION 1. S h o rt T itle. - This Act shall be known as the
2 
Identity Module (SIM) Card Registration Act”.
‘Subscriber
3 
SECTION 2. D eclaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role
4 
of information and com m unications technology in nation building.
5 
The introduction of m odern telecom m unications technology with the view
6 
of providing the widest information dissem ination is greatly encouraged.
7 
The 
possession 
of the 
m ost m odern 
technology carries with 
it
8 
trem endous responsibility. Thus, m echanism  for its effective use for the
9 
good of all and not for an illegal or malicious purpose to benefit a few
10 
m ust be installed.
11 
Towards this end, the State shall require the registration of all users of
12 
pre-paid subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.
13 
SECTION 3. D efinition o f Term s. -  As used in this Act:
14
15 
a. Direct seller refers to a person or entity, w hether natural or juridical,
16 
who directly dispenses or sells a SIM card to an end user;
17 
b. End user refers to any individual/subscriber who directly purchases a
18 
SIM card from a direct seller for personal use;
19 
c. Post p aid mobile phone refers to a mobile phone the service of which is
20 
provided by a prior arrangem ent with a Public Telecom munications
21 
Entity. The user in this situation is billed after the fact, according to their
22 
use of mobile services at the end of the m onthly billing cycle;
23 
d. Prepaid mobile phone refers to a mobile phone for which credit is
24 
purchased in advance of service use. The purchased credit is used to pay
25 
for mobile phone services at the point the service is accessed or
26 
consum ed. If there is no available credit then access to the requested
27 
service is denied;
28 
e. 
Public 
Telecommunications Entity 
or PTE refers 
to 
any 
duly
29 
enfranchised and authorized public telecom m unications entity th at offers
30 
voice, short m essaging system  (SMS/text), mobile data, value-added


1 
services (VAS) or any other telecom m unications services to the public for
2 
a fee;
3 
f. SIM card refers to the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), which is an
4 
integrated circuit th at 
securely stores the international mobile
5 
subscriber identity and the related key used to identify and authenticate
6 
subscribers on mobile telephony devices, such as mobile phones and
7 
com puters. A SIM card is a removable plastic card into which a SIM
8 
circuit is em bedded, and can be transferred between different mobile
9 
devices;
10 
g. SIM card registration refers to the process of recording and verifying
11 
mobile phone 
num ber and personal information of a subscriber, by a
12 
PTE or other direct seller, including the subscriber’s photograph, name,
13 
date of birth, gender and address.
14 
SECTION 4. Sale an d  R eg istratio n  of SIM C ards. - Every direct seller
15 
shall require the end user of a SIM card to present valid identification
16 
with photo to ascertain the latter’s identity. 
The direct seller shall
17 
further require the end user to accomplish and sign a control-num bered
18 
registration form issued by the respective PTE of the SIM card being
19 
purchased. The registration form shall include an attestation by the end
20 
user th at the person personally appearing before the direct seller and the
21 
identification docum ents presented are true and correct and th at the
22 
person is one and the sam e who has accom plished and signed the
23 
registration form.
24 
Except in cases where the PTE is the direct seller, the accomplished
25 
registration form m ust be subm itted to the concerned PTE within fifteen
26 
(15) days from the date of sale. 
The confidentiality clause in the SIM
27 
card registration under Section 9 hereof shall start to apply at the point
28 
of sale.
29 
An end user who does not produce valid identification with photo and
30 
fails to accom plish a registration form in accordance with the preceding
31 
paragraph shall be refused the sale of a SIM card by the direct seller. The
32 
direct seller shall only issue the SIM card to the end user after
33 
compliance with 
the 
requirem ents 
m entioned 
above 
and 
in 
the
34 
succeeding sections.
35 
SECTION 5. R ep resen tativ e R egistration of SIM C ards. - A person
36 
who w ants to purchase a SIM card but cannot personally register with
37 
the direct seller may, for valid reason, authorize another to register in
38 
that person’s behalf, subject to the following conditions: 
(1) the
39 
representative is authorized through a duly notarized Special Power of
40 
Attorney; and (2) the principal and the representative should present an
41 
original and a true and clear copy of any of the valid identification cards
42 
with photo listed in Section 6 (a) hereof
43 
In case the person intending to purchase a SIM card is a minor, the
44 
parents or guardian shall be required to give their express consent in
45 
writing, and subm it the sam e with the registration form and valid
46 
identification cards with photo of both the m inor and the parents or
47 
guardian.
48 
The direct seller may deny the request for representative registration
49 
after an assessm ent th at the reason given therefor is not valid or that the
50 
identification cards or their true copies are not authentic or sufficient.


1 
SECTION 6. C overage of R egistration. - All direct sellers are hereby
2 
m andated to register pertinent data in a registration form devised for the
3 
purpose, to include the following information and requirem ents:
4 
A Full nam e and complete address of the end user appearing in a valid
5 
governm ent-issued identification docum ent with photo. In view thereof,
6 
SIM card end users shall be required 
to 
present 
the 
original and
7 
subm it a true and 
faithful reproduction or 
photocopy of any of the
8 
following governm ent identification docum ents with photo:
9 
1. 
Driver’s License
10 
2. 
Social Security Service/G overnm ent Service Insurance System
11 
(SSS/GSIS) Card
12 
3. 
Passport
13 
4. 
Senior Citizen’s Card
14 
5. 
Person with Disabilities Card
15 
6. 
National B ureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
16 
7. 
Police Clearance
17 
8. 
Firearm s License
18 
9. 
Voter’s Identification Card
19 
10. 
Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN)
20 
11. 
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Identification Card
21 
12. 
Government Office Identification Card
22 
13. 
School Identification Card (in case of a minor)
23 
14. O ther Governm ent-issued Identification Cards
24 
The direct seller may m ake further inquiries or require the subm ission of
25 
additional identification if necessary, and withhold the sale of the SIM
26 
card pending compliance with the additional requirem ents.
27
28 
a.) Assigned cell phone num ber of SIM card(s) and serial num ber/s.
29 
SECTION 7. Subm ission of R egistration Form . - The registration form
30 
required under Section 6 of this Act shall be accom plished in triplicate,
31 
and shall be forwarded by the direct seller for 
to the concerned 
PTE.
32 
The concerned PTE shall subm it a copy of 
the duly accomplished
33 
registration form to the National Telecom m unications Commission (NTC)
34 
within fifteen (15) days from the date of sale or receipt of such form from
35 
their respective direct sellers. The required registration form and the
36 
copies thereof shall be certified by either, the President, General
37 
Manager, Treasurer, Secretary or any other duly appointed officer of the
38 
PTE or direct seller, as the case may be.
39 
SECTION 8. S ubm ission of V erified List o f D ealers or A gents. — The
40 
PTEs shall subm it to the NTC, within thirty (30) days from the date of
41 
effectivity of this Act, a verified list of their current authorized dealers or
42 
agents nationwide. Thereafter, the PTEs shall subm it to the NTC, every
43 
quarter of each year an updated list of the same.
44 
SECTION 9. C onfidentiality Clause. -  Any information in SIM card
45 
registration shall be treated as 
absolutely confidential, unless upon
46 
written consent of the subscriber: Provided, That the waiver of absolute
47 
confidentiality shall not be m ade as a condition for the approval of
48 
subscription agreem ents with the PTEs.
49 
SECTION 
10. 
D isclosure o f Inform ation. — Notwithstanding the
50 
provisions of Section 9 hereof, the PTEs shall be required to provide


1 
information contained in the SIM card registration only upon order of a
2 
com petent court upon finding of probable cause th at a particular
3 
num ber is used in the comm ission of a crime or th at it was utilized as a
4 
m eans to commit an unlawful act.
5 
SECTION 11. SIM Card R egister. - All PTEs are required to subm it an
6 
updated SIM Card Register of their subscribers to the NTC every six (6)
7 
m onths of both postpaid and prepaid mobile phone users, and m aintain
8 
a record containing information required under Section 6 of this Act.
9 
In case of loss or any change in the information after the acquisition of
10 
the SIM card, the 
subscriber m ust notify the PTEs within thirty (30)
11 
days from such loss or change. The concerned PTE in return m ust notify
12 
the NTC of such loss or change in the information within fifteen (15) days
13 
from receipt of notification from the subscriber.
14 
All PTEs are required to keep the data of their subscribers and the NTC
15 
shall see to it th at this data is being kept with utm ost confidentiality as
16 
provided for under Section 9 of this Act and in accordance with existing
17 
laws.
18 
SECTION 
12. 
R eg istratio n  
o f E xisting 
P repaid 
Mobile 
Phone
19 
Subscribers. -  All existing mobile phone subscribers with prepaid SIM
20 
cards are required to register with their respective 
PTE
21 
within one hundred eighty (180) days from effectivity of this Act. Such
22 
deadline may be extended by the NTC but shall not be longer than one
23 
hundred twenty (120) days, upon a valid written request.
24 
Failure to register within the prescribed period shall authorize the PTE to
25 
autom atically deactivate its services to the specific existing prepaid SIM
26 
card subscriber.
27 
SECTION 13. P en alties. The following penalties shall be imposed for
28 
violation of any provision of this Act: ) If the offense is comm itted by a
29 
PTE, the President and other executive officers shall be held liable and
30 
the following penalties shall be imposed:
31
32 
(1) First offense: A fine of Three hundred thousand pesos (P300, 000.00);
33 
(2) 
Second offense: A fine of Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,
34 
000.00); 
and
35 
(3) Third and subsequent offenses, a fine of One million pesos
36 
(PI, 000,000.00)
37 
for every offense.
38
39 
b) A penalty of suspension of its operation and a fine ranging from Five
40 
thousand pesos (P5,000.00) to Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) shall
41 
be imposed on any direct seller who fails to comply with the provisions of
42 
this Act.
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
SECTION 14. Im p lem en ting R ules and R egulations (IRR). -  Within 
ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the NTC, in coordination 
with concerned agencies, shall prom ulgate the rules and regulations and 
other 
issuances 
as 
may 
be 
necessary, 
to 
ensure 
the 
effective 
im plem entation of this Act.
SECTION 15. 
S eparability Clause. -  Should any part of this Act be 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof that are not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
effect.


1 
SECTION 16. R epealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, executive orders,
2 
proclam ations, rules and regulations, and issuances, or parts thereof
3 
which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby
4 
repealed, am ended or modified accordingly.
5
6
7
8 
9
SECTION 17. E ffectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a new spaper of 
general circulation.
Approved,