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Filipino expats in UAE with roaming SIM cards must register by April 26 under new law
Minimum fine of 100,000 pesos — or around Dh6,500 — will apply in case of certain violations; here's how to sign up
Reuters file photo
Filipino expats in the UAE who are using roaming SIM cards from back home have only a few days left to register their mobile numbers under the new law issued by the Philippine government.
Local authorities have confirmed that no extension will be given: All Philippine SIM cards — including those used overseas — should be registered by April 26.
Those who fail to comply will have their numbers deactivated. Certain fines and imprisonment will also apply to those caught violating key provisions of the law. (Read more about the penalties below.)
Philippine President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 11934 — also known as An Act Requiring the Registration of SIM Cards — in a ceremony held in Malacañan Palace in October 2022. With an aim to curb text scams, cybercrimes, terrorism, and other criminal activities, the law took effect on December 27.
How to register
The three telco operatoes in the Philippines — Globe Telecom Inc., Smart Communications Inc., and DITO Telecommunity — have already rolled out registration platforms.
Ivan John Uy, secretary of the Philippines' Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), had earlier said those who are out of the country "will receive a text message from the telcos themselves, ‘please go to this site or open the app'."
For Filipino expats who will be going home soon — and are planning to buy new SIM cards — will be able to get deactivated SIMs. They may sign up through an online registration platform provided by the telco provider.
Here are the details that must be provided:
- Full name
- Birthday
- Sex
- Present or official address
- Identification card and ID number
Any of these ID cards or documents can be presented:
- Passport
- Philippine Identification System ID
- SSS ID
- GSIS ID
- Driver’s licence
- NBI clearance
- Police clearance
- Firearms’ license to own and possess ID
- PRC ID
- IBP ID
- OWWA ID
- BIR ID
- Voter’s ID
- Senior citizen card
- UMID
- PWD card
- Any valid government-issued ID with photo
Foreigners will have to provide:
- Full name
- Nationality
- Date of birth
- Passport
- Address in the Philippines
- Type of travel or admission document presented
- ID number or number of document presented
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Tourists' SIM cards will have only a 30-day validity and can be extended if they can present an approved visa extension.
Here are the links for SIM card registration:
- Globe subscribers may visit https://new.globe.com.ph/simreg or sign up via the app.
- Smart users can go to https://simreg.smart.com.ph/
- Dito users can visit https://dito.ph/RegisterDITO or go to the Dito app.
Penalties
Unregistered SIM cards will be deactivated automatically. However, more violations have been laid out as part of the law. Here are some of them:
- Fine of 100,000 to 300,000 pesos and/or imprisonment of 6 months to 2 years: Providing false information or documents to register a SIM
- Fine of 100,000 to 300,000 pesos and/or imprisonment of 6 months to 6 years: Sale or transfer of a registered SIM without complying with the required registration
- Fine of 200,000 pesos and/or 6-year imprisonment: Spoofing a registered SIM
- Minimum 100,000-peso fine and/or imprisonment of 6 months to 2 years: Selling stolen SIM cards
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