After a rather embarrassing finding where a fake ID–one that has a photo of a monkey–was used for SIM registration, the NTC has issued new guidelines, where they will require live selfies before one can register a SIM card.

“We issued an MO (Memorandum Order) yesterday (Monday, September 18), so it’s effective immediately…” NTC Commissioner Ella Blanca Lopez told senators on Tuesday while the Senate finance subcommittee tackled the proposed 2024 budget of the DICT. With the new guidelines, Lopez said that this should ensure that live selfies are enough proof for SIM Registration by legitimate users.

How will this work? Lopez said that all telco companies will be using technology that can identify live selfies properly to avoid instances of those trying to give a stock photo or a photo of an animal as a selfie. For the new guidelines, the NTC has ordered telcos to install the technology needed for live selfie verifications by December 18.

While the SIM Card Registration Law is meant to curb text scams, Lopez admits that there are loopholes with it as cybercriminals still manage to register SIM cards by using fake IDs. Aside from live selfies, the DICT is proposing a limit of 10 registered SIM cards per user as well.