SIM card registration has been necessary for the Philippines to safeguard the public from the illicit usage of mobile phones. This law has shown to be especially advantageous for women and children, who are frequently society’s most vulnerable members.
With this, the Department of Information and Communications Technologies (DICT) joins in the commemoration of International Women’s Day with this announcement as the event honours all women for their essential contributions to social, cultural, economic, and political development that results in constructive social transformation.
According to the UN, women and children are using the internet more frequently during the pandemic, making them more vulnerable to cyber-harassment. This includes receiving insulting and sexually explicit emails and SMS messages, as well as unwanted social networking site advances.
However, women and children will be safeguarded not only from these violent and abusive exploits but also from scams and fraudulent activities committed via phone calls and internet platforms, thanks to the SIM Registration Act. Authorities can more easily trace threatening phone calls or messages back to their source with a registered SIM card and take appropriate action against the perpetrator.
Similarly, SIM registration helps shield youngsters from exploitation and abuse. Authorities can better monitor their children’s internet activities and detect any risks or threats by requiring parents or guardians to register their children’s SIM cards. This safeguard can also serve to keep youngsters away from inappropriate or hazardous information, such as pornography or violent films.
As the country continues to make a strong case for gender equality and women’s empowerment, DICT Undersecretary Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo promoted Philippine government initiatives and laws aimed at women at the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA.
She added that closing the digital gender gap is critical to attaining gender equality and economic prosperity. The Philippine government is committed to ensuring that no one is left behind and that every individual, regardless of gender, has access to and can fully engage in the digital economy through policies, programmes, and initiatives that prioritise digital inclusion and gender equality.
To maintain the security of user data among all subscribers, particularly women and children, the DICT continues to encourage the public to register their SIM cards with their individual telcos and to be cautious while they do so.
Further, by requiring SIM card registration, authorities will be able to better track down and prosecute those who use mobile phones for illicit purposes such as extortion, cyberbullying, and human trafficking. This step also serves as a disincentive to individuals who would otherwise utilise unregistered or anonymous SIM cards for nefarious purposes.
The Philippine government makes SIM card registration easier and simpler for all members of society, including women and children. They have, for example, put in place a system of mobile registration vans that drive to remote or underserved locations to assist people in registering their SIM cards.
SIM card registration has shown to be a successful strategy for protecting women and children from many sorts of violence and exploitation in the Philippines. Hence, the government has established a safer and more secure environment for all Filipinos, particularly the most vulnerable, by mandating people register their SIM cards.
