Poe sees SIM registration to be a law within the year

Sen. Grace Poe expressed confidence that the bill requiring the registration of subscriber identity modules (SIM) will be passed into law within the year.

"It has already hurdled both Houses. This is the first bill that was passed jointly in the 19th Congress and we are quite proud of that. Again, it was unanimously passed in the Senate and with big support. I think and I am hoping that the President will sign it and it will become a law hopefully within a month or two," Poe said in an interview.

The SIM Registration Act was earlier vetoed by former President Rodrigo Duterte because of concerns on the social media provision.

Poe said the registration of SIMs will be a "big help" when it comes to fighting crimes and will serve as a deterrent for online scammers.

When someone tried to scam the Senate President, the perpetrator was identified and found after he gave the number to law enforcers, Poe said to illustrate.

"It's really more about tracing. Now, we will find out who registered that number. Even if a ficitious identity was used, at least there is a lead," Poe said.

Under the existing proposal, telcos or public telecommunications entities (PTEs) will serve as the repository of the information registered and their data officers need to be registered with the National Privacy Commission. Poe said this will help ensure that not just anyone will have access to sensitive personal information that could be detrimental to the data if it is given out or sold.

Poe said people already give their information to the government for the national ID system as well as other government agencies and the same information is also provided to private companies when they apply for credit cards or loans.

Poe said private telcos are more motivated to secure the personal information of their subscribers.

"I think the private companies have more to lose if their system is compromised because they lose the trust of their subscribers. They will also be liable under the law for being negligent," Poe said.

Under the proposal, telcos can be fined P500,000 to P4 million for any breach of confidentiality due to negligence.

Poe dismissed the idea that the SIM registration would deter whistleblowers from speaking up, adding that there are other means of sending information without having to send text messages. For people who want to expose a wrongdoing, they can email or send old-fashioned notes that they can pass around. Poe said they can also just relay it to the media or a journalist or go directly to the law enforcement agencies.

"There is a cost to it. We want to keep our society safe. It may inconvenience others from transmitting information confidentially but there are other ways by which they can do it. We really have to be one step ahead because, remember, bombs are detonated using cellphones," Poe said.