The revision of the Philippines’ "SIM Card Registration Act" has recently made significant progress on both the administrative and legislative fronts. On the administrative side, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has proposed amendments to its implementing rules and regulations, aiming to designate the national ID as the only acceptable official identification document for SIM card registration, and has scheduled an online public hearing for August 27, 2026. On the legislative side, the Senate has approved Senate Bill 2395 on third reading, and the House of Representatives has also passed the relevant bill on third reading. In addition, the Mandaue City Council has passed the first reading of a local ordinance that seeks to ban the sale and purchase of pre-registered SIM cards.
I. NTC Administrative Proposal: Designating the "National ID" as the Sole Valid Identification Document
Instead of directly seeking to amend the law, the NTC has proposed revising its implementing rules and regulations (Memorandum Circular No. 001-12-2022). Currently, the rules allow the use of various government-issued photo IDs, such as passports, social security cards, and driver’s licenses. The core of the NTC’s proposal is to list the national ID as the only acceptable official identification document for SIM card registration. The NTC has issued a notice scheduling an online public hearing on the proposal at 2:00 p.m. on August 27, 2026, and relevant stakeholders may submit position papers by August 24, 2026. The proposal comes against the backdrop that the NTC previously proposed requiring "in-person" registration, but failed to move forward due to opposition from telecommunications operators. Designating the national ID as the sole identification document can be seen as a compromise to strengthen verification within the existing framework.
II. Congressional Legislative Developments: Both Chambers Pass Bills on Third Reading
At the congressional level, legislative work has made major breakthroughs. The Senate has approved Senate Bill 2395, also known as the "SIM Card Registration Act", on third reading. The bill requires users to present valid identification before purchasing a SIM card, stipulates that registering a SIM card using a false identity is punishable by 6 to 12 months of imprisonment or a fine of 200,000 pesos, and prohibits the unauthorized sale of registered SIM cards. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has also passed the relevant bill on third reading. The Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments has also recommended reintroducing the mandatory SIM card registration bill in the 19th Congress.
III. Local Action: Mandaue City Proposes Ban on the Sale and Purchase of Pre-Registered SIM Cards
To crack down on the illegal trading of "pre-registered SIM cards", the Mandaue City Council has passed the first reading of a local ordinance (Draft Ordinance No. 102-2026). The ordinance seeks to ban the sale, distribution, purchase, transfer, and resale of pre-registered SIM cards, and also imposes penalties on buyers — a provision not covered by national laws. The ordinance will be enforced jointly by the City Business Permits and Licensing Office, the police, the NTC, and the DICT.
