With SIM cards being so easy to buy nowadays, there’s a good chance that some people would attempt to buy one to use in some scheme that victimized people through scams. Congress aims to address that, as they are proposing for mandatory registration of prepaid SIM cards.

Deputy Speaker for Trade and Industry Wes Gatchalian, who filed House Bill 5793, also known as the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card Registration Act, appeals to congress to pass the said bill immediately, citing that some prepaid SIMs are being used for illegal activities.

Aside from Gatchalian himself, delivery riders and DTI also support his bill calling for mandatory SIM registration–which also covers postpaid subscribers as well. “We want to protect the interest of our hardworking food and package delivery riders who have no choice but absorb the expenses and the penalties incurred when they fall victim to these pranks and scams,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian’s sentiments stem from the number of food delivery incidents, where multiple riders would be delivering food to a certain place–only to find out that they were scammed by the person who set the order. The same also goes for anonymous SMS messages that attempt to exploit people with money.

Part of Gatchalian’s proposal includes requiring everyone to present a valid ID before purchasing a SIM card as a means of properly establishing the identity of the person using the said SIM card.

Gatchalian adds that his proposed bill will work together with the Internet Transactions Act (ITA), of which he is also the principal author, to curb illegal online activities. “With these two laws in place, the e-commerce sphere would be a safer place for consumers and businesses alike.”

Currently, prepaid SIM cards are not regulated unlike postpaid SIM cards, which is why bulk purchasing the former is prevalent in the country.