Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2588

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced By: REPRESENTATIVE MAGNOLIA ROSA ANTONINO-NADRES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The advent of prepaid services in the late 1990's soon made the Short Messaging System
(SMS) or “texting” the communication method of choice amongst the young, a trend. which
spread across all ages. As the use of this prepaid SIM Card became more widespread, more
people began to utilize mobile phones in their daily lives. This is because acquiring a prepaid
mobile phone has distinct advantage compared to postpaid mobile phone since the subscriber
will be saved from signing a contract that requires monthly fee thus you can determine how
much you need in a month aside from keeping your privacy as the service provider will no
longer do any background check.

However, the use of prepaid SIM Cards have become a security concern that many
countries like Singapore, Uganda, Australia, Switzerland, etc. now require their registration.
There are numerous cases particularly in the Philippines, when SIM Cards were used for
criminal activities like in making ransom, money-making activities like e-raffle and random
lottery, harassment, and even to detonate bombs and get away with such crimes as the identity
of the user cannot be determined. Let us put a quietus to these criminal activities.

This bill therefore seeks to require the registration of the buyers of prepaid SIM Cards
and to provide penalties for any violation thereof.

The rationale behind this measure is to improve efficiency of law enforcement and
national security activities. In some countries, the rationale is extended to include support for
emergency service response and the commercial provision of public directory services.

The foregoing reasons warrant the approval of this bill.

acuotnioes ANTONINO-NADRES

Representative
Fourth District, Nueva Ecija


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No,__ 2588

Introduced By: REPRESENTATIVE MAGNOLIA ROSA ANTONINO-NADRES

ANACT
REQUIRING THE REGISTRATION OF BUYERS OF PREPAID SUBSCRIBER
IDENTITY MODULE (SIM) CARDS AND PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives
of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Subscriber Identity
Module (SIM) Cards Registration Act of 2013”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared a policy of the State to
ensure the welfare of the people by providing effective mechanisms that will efficiently
encourage the optimum utilization of modern communication technology as potent tool
for economic development. Toward this end, the acquisition and utilization of post
paid and prepaid Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card shall be limited only to
persons who shall duly comply with requirements imposed herein.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall
mean:

a) Post paid mobile phone - is a mobile phone for which service is
provided by a prior arrangement with a carriage service provider. The
user in this situation is billed after the fact according to their use of
mobile services at the end of each month;


b) Prepaid mobile phone - is a mobile phone for which credit is
purchased in advance of service use. The purchased credit is used to
pay for mobile phone services at the point the service is accessed or
consumed. If there is no available credit then access to the requested
service is denied;

©)

SIM Card - refers to the Subscriber Identity Module, which is an
integrated circuit that securely stores the international mobile
subscriber identity and the related key used to identify and
authenticate subscribers on mobile telephony devices, such as mobile
phones and computers. A SIM circuit is embedded into a removable
plastic card called “SIM Card” and can be transferred between
different mobile devices;

qd)

SIM Card Registration ~ is the process of recording and verifying
mobile phone number and personal information of a subscriber, by a
communications service provider, including but not limited to the
subscriber's photograph, name, date of birth, gender, address, ete.;

°)

Telecommunications Companies (Telcos) - refer to any
telecommunication company mobile service provider, including but
not limited to, Smart, Globe Communications, Sun Cellular, etc.

SEC. 4, SIM CARD Registration. - All telecommunication companies (telcos) are
required to register their subscribers to the National Telecommunication Commission
(NTC), both postpaid and prepaid mobile phone users, and maintain a list thereof
containing information cited under SEC. 3. (d) of this Act.

Should there be any change in the information after the acquisition of the SIM
Card, the subscriber must notify the NTC within thirty (30) days from such change.

Sec. 5. Sale of SIM Card. - No SIM Card shall be sold to any person unless a
valid government issued identification card with photograph is presented and
registration form containing personal information, job description and the like is
accomplished by the buyer. The seller shall submit the duly accomplished registration
form to the telecommunication company not later than fifteen (15) days from the date of
sale.

Non compliance with the above requirement shall mean refusal on the part of the
seller to sell the SIM Card.


SEC. 6. Confidentiality Clause. The information contained in the SIM Card
Registration shall be treated with absolute confidentiality and can never be revealed
except upon lawful order of the court or appropriate government body.

SEC. 7. Registration of Existing Prepaid Mobile Phone Subscribers. - All existing
mobile phone subscribers with prepaid SIM Cards are required to register with their
respective telecommunications company within sixty (60) days upon effectivity of this
Act. Failure to register within the prescribed period mean lifetime deactivation of the
subscription.

SEC. 8. Rules and Regulations. - The National Telecommunications Commission
(NTC) shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of
this Act.

SEC. 9, Penal Clause. ~ Any person found guilty of violating this Act shall suffer
the penalty of six (6) months imprisonment or a fine of Fifty thousand pesos
(P50,000.00) or both at the discretion of the court.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed r
modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,