Editor’s note: This press release is sponsored by Smart and was handled by BrandRap, the sales and marketing arm of Rappler. No member of the news and editorial team participated in the publishing of this piece.

PLDT’s wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) hails the issuance of the SIM Registration Law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) as it gears up to launch its SIM registration portal toy facilitate an easy, convenient and rewarding SIM registration experience for its subscribers.

In a statement issued to media, Atty. Roy Ibay, VP and Head of Regulatory of Smart Communication, Inc. (“Smart”) said: “We are proud to have been able to contribute to the crafting of the IRR, which also aims to be all inclusive as Public Telecommunication Entities (PTEs) shall also provide additional means to assist persons with disabilities, senior citizens, pregnant women, and/or persons with special needs in registering their respective SIMs–a provision that was added even as it was not mentioned specifically in the law.”

“We join the National Telecommunications Commission, key regulators and government agencies, and our counterparts in other PTEs in ensuring the orderly and effective implementation of our SIM Registration Law,” he added.

“With connectivity being crucial to powering the Philippine economy’s resurgence, we reaffirm our commitment to ensure that the implementation of the SIM Registration Law will be easy and convenient for subscribers and will not deprive subscribers of their right to connectivity,” said Francis E. Flores, SVP and Head of Consumer Business Group – Individual at Smart.

“We are ready to roll out our SIM Registration processes after months of preparations, which have included, among others, studying best global practices and technology solutions from other countries that have already implemented SIM registration. We will release more information about the SIM registration portal via our official channels in the next few weeks,” he added.

Alongside their support for SIM registration, Smart and parent company PLDT’s long-standing consumer protection initiatives include measures aimed at curbing mobile phone-aided criminal activities such as text scams. In addition to blocking SIMs that send ‘smishing’ messages, Smart has also blocked Uniform Resource Locators (URL) linked to these illegal activities. In 2021, PLDT and Smart invested nearly ₱3 billion in cybersecurity infrastructure to help safeguard the public against emerging cyberthreats, vulnerabilities, and other online criminal activities. – Rappler.com