Calling it a “long overdue” measure, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. signed into law Republic Act No. 11934, or the SIM Card Registration Act, October 10, 2022.

Under the new law, all new SIM cards sold after the effectivity of the law should be deactivated, and new users are required to register their SIM cards with their telco. It further provides that existing postpaid and prepaid mobile phone subscribers are required to register their SIM cards within a period of 180 days or six months after said law takes effect to avoid deactivation.

Additionally, R.A. 11934 also provides that during SIM card registration, all mobile phone subscribers must present a valid government-issued identification card with their corresponding photo. For foreigners or tourists, they must present their passports and provide their Philippine addresses.

Moreover, minors may be allowed to use SIM cards provided that the SIM card should be registered under the name of a parent or guardian.

Marcos, Jr. said that the signing of the new measure would be one avenue for solving crimes involving the use of SIM cards.

“We will soon be able to provide law enforcement agencies the tools needed to resolve crimes perpetrated with the use of these SIM cards as well as providing a strong deterrence against the commission of wrongdoing,” Marcos, Jr. said in a speech.