“To curb the spread of spam text messages and scams,” President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr said during the official signing of the SIM Registration Act on October 10, 2022, the first-ever legislation he approved as the country's chief executive. 

The full implementation of Republic Act 11934, or the Sim Card Registration Law, began on December 27 last year. With just 180 days to register under the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the said law, subscribers are left with no choice but to register their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards whether they are ready or not. With the approaching deadline, failure to register until April 26 will lead to the sim card’s automatic deactivation. 

Although registration is free, its first day was not as easy as the administration had hoped. Due to the large number of SIM card users seeking to register, telecommunications (telcos) websites reported difficulties. This caused problems for both telcos companies and the public, while the law's proponents and supporters have yet to provide any solutions. 

Some critics pointed out that the effects of the unexpected passage of this law only add to the burden Filipinos are bearing due to the rocketing inflation rate, countless issues on mass transportation systems, and the still-recurring pandemic-related problems–that should have been solved already. They also emphasized that it is already a loophole since the law is anti-poor and only applies to people who already have resources.

‘Listen to our concerns’

Not everyone likes the idea of this new legislation — Patricia Loise Labrador, Vice President of the College of Communication Student Council, and a fourth-year Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting student is one of them. For her, this new law could be the government’s instrument to dismantle democracy, press freedom, and critical voices. 

“Itong SIM card registration, mas mapapadali ang pag point out ng posibleng ma-red tag at pati na rin yung mga simpleng mamamayan na pwedeng madamay dun sa anti-terror law na agit na ipinapasa ng administrasyon,” Labrador stated.

Since the press is under siege, one of the aspirations of student leaders like Labrador is to abolish the SIM card registration law. She wants nothing more than equity in society, a safer environment for the PUP community, and a secure future for the College of Communication and the media sector.

“Let’s face it ang PUP ay isa sa unibersidad na pugad talaga ng mga aktibista. Me, myself ay kasama tayo ng masang Pilipinong lumalaban para sa mas pantay na karapatan,” 

“Nakakatakot na itong mga unibersidad na ito ay mainit sa mata ng mga pulis, militar, lalo pa at iniisip nila na tayo ay tutol talaga sa administrasyon. Well in fact, ang gusto lang naman natin ay pantay na karapatan para sa lahat,” Labrador elaborated. 

Calls to veto the SIM Card Registration Act are being led by the Junk SIM Registration Network. In a petition, the Computer Professionals’ Union said that “the bill's provisions offer no real solution to these problems and only limit our right to privacy and expose us to risk by consolidating personally identifiable information on a centralized server.” They stated that spam messages are usually computer-generated and there are SIMless software and technologies that are now being offered and developed today.

In other countries where the same law is in effect, state surveillance has been a real concern. For example, Peru, Brazil, and Mexico have adopted regulations that compel telcos to collect and identify mobile users’ information for potential use by law enforcement; making data privacy, identity theft, and misuse of data possible. 

NTC, a state machinery

The SIM Card Registration Act is meant to crack down on mobile phone scams and fraud but has raised concerns about data privacy and abuse considering that National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the implementing body, are the same people behind the shutdown of numerous alternative media websites beyond their mandate.

In light of terror law, Hermogenes Esperon Jr., National Security Council (NSC) Advisor, and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) Vice Chairperson wrote to NTC ordering “Philippine Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to the following websites affiliated to and are supporting terrorists and terrorist organizations.” 

The list included legitimate and alternative media organizations like Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly, along with progressive organizations such as Save our Schools Network, an alternative school for Lumads; Pamalakaya, a fisherfolk group; and the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, a church-based organization, among others. All of these are progressive media outlets and organizations that are deemed enemies of the state. This showed how state entities such as NTC, NSC, and NTF-ELCAC are going to greater lengths to silence critical voices.

“Nakakatakot ‘yun dahil nakasaad sa law na ito na mayroong mga reasons para mabigyang access ang mga awtoridad sa mga impormasyon natin. (1) kapag utos ito ng korte, kapag may ginawa kang krimen, lumabag ka sa isang batas, may kakayahan ang administrasyon na hingin mula sa telco provider mo ang information mo; (2) ‘pag meron kang subpoena or under investigation ka, may kakayahan din ang telco providers na ibigay ang impormasyon mo sa awtoridad at nakakatakot yun paano kung napagkamalan ka lang gumawa ng isang krimen? Mas nagiging accessible para sa administrasyon ang mga impormasyon natin kaysa mas maging ligtas tayo sa ilalim ng Marcos-Duterte administration,” Labrador explained. 

Prior to that, the potential for abuse by authorities is high as critics also point to Section 11 of the law that lets authorities carry out ‘spoofing’ of a registered SIM, in which a caller displays a different number to deceive someone during an investigation.

The Act, paired with Anti-Terror Law would only legalize invasion and surveillance by the authorities and could further threaten the safety of innocent individuals. Considering that the ATL allows suspects to be detained without a judicial warrant of arrest for 14 days which can be extended by 10 more days, and placed under surveillance for 60 days, which can also be extended by up to 30 days, by the police or military.

Threats to academe, free press

Now more than ever, under another Marcos presidency, PUP as a breeding ground for activism and known for fighting oppressive regimes and advancing the interest of the marginalized, is standing its ground again against a potential threat to democracy. 

In the context of PUP, Labrador reiterated that regardless if you are a student leader or not, anyone is vulnerable to data privacy and blatant red-tagging, “bilang nakikita nga tayo ng estado bilang banta sa mga nais nilang mangyari sa Pilipinas, mas nagiging madali sa mga awtoridad na i-pinpoint tayong mga iskolar ng bayan bilang mga terorista. Mas madali sa kanila na masubaybayan tayo at ang mga hakbang natin bilang student leader at activist.”

Labrador stated that this law is an act of desperation by the Marcos-Duterte administration to suppress indigent voices and manipulate people by using their own personal information. It could pose a great threat to future media practitioners, and that is why she emphasized that we owe it to the masses to continue to fight against anti-poor and oppressive policies. 

She added that Marcos should be aware by now that in these trying times, the PUP-COC community will not be silenced, the attacks against academic freedom and the free press only fuel the desire to fight back. This law is clearly a blow to civil and political liberties which added to the oppressive trend of fascism should not go unchecked as it can ultimately erode all the freedoms of democracy has long been anchored on.

“Nag-aaral tayo bilang iskolar ng bayan para makapagsilbi sa masang Pilipino bilang mga media practitioners. Kung baga, utang na loob natin sa masa, mamamayan yung pinag-aral tayo. At responsibilidad naman natin na timbangin nang maayos kung ano ba yung nakabubuti para sa lahat,” Labrador stressed.