22 million SIM registrations eyed during 90-day extension to meet target

The government hopes to register 22 million SIM to meet the 110-million target.

File photo: Smart SIM registration process

Gov't hopes to register up to 110 million SIMs

In an interview, NTC Deputy Commissioner Jon Paulo Salvahan told CNN Philippines that 87.4 million SIM cards have been registered so far.

He said they hope total registrations will reach 110 million of the 168 million active SIM in the country by the time the 90-day extension for listing ends in July.

We foresee that it is only around that number, which is around 100 or 110 million, which are the legitimate users of these SIMs or meaning that they are really using the SIMs for their ordinary or legitimate purposes, he said.

To recall, the government approved the 90-day extension for SIM registration, which was supposed to end on April 26.

Information and Communications Technology Sec. Ivan John Uy said Filipinos' bad habit of doing things later greatly affected the result of the initial implementation.

Salvahan said this was evident during the days prior to the April 26 deadline. He noted that daily registrations reached 2.5 million to 4.5 million from around a hundred thousand prior.

To solve the problem, the official said the NTC is working with telcos to study the proposal of deactivating access to several phone applications and services of unregistered SIM card users during the 90-day extension.

This will be aside from continuing the implementation of existing programs, like assisted booths and the use of online platforms, he noted.

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Via: CNN Philippines