The Mandaue City Council has passed a resolution urging the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to study the implementation of facial verification for subscriber identity module (SIM) registration and social media accounts, aiming to strengthen online protection for minors.
Resolution details and author's intent
Councilor Jennifer Del Mar, who authored the proposal, said the measure seeks to help authorities and service providers determine whether users are minors and limit their access to online platforms. The resolution was passed in response to growing safety concerns, including a fatal mass shooting in Tacloban City involving minor suspects.
“We are calling on the DICT or any other agency that can help with verification. We are asking that strict face verification be implemented so we can determine a user’s age and help limit minors’ access,” Del Mar said.
Current SIM registration system
Under the current system mandated by Republic Act 11934, or the SIM Registration Act, subscribers must register through telecommunication companies' online portals by providing their full name, date of birth, address, a valid government ID number, and images of the front and back of their ID. The law requires public telecommunications entities to collect identity information and copies of IDs, linking the subscriber's identity to the SIM's international mobile subscriber identity. However, it does not require facial recognition, biometric verification, or personal appearance. New SIM cards must be registered before activation, and unregistered existing SIMs were automatically deactivated after the 2023 deadline.
Weaknesses and proposed improvements
The resolution comes as authorities confront weaknesses in the registration system, including the reported use of stolen IDs to register SIMs and the online sale of pre-registered SIM cards. Policymakers have discussed possible amendments to strengthen identity verification through personal appearance, multi-factor authentication, or other safeguards, though no directive has been issued. Del Mar said the proposal asks telecommunications companies to require facial verification during SIM registration and encourages social media platforms to adopt stronger identity verification for account creation.
“With the technology now, perhaps they can do better when it comes to registration,” Del Mar said.
Next steps
The resolution has been referred to the council's committee on information and communications technology, which will endorse the request to the DICT to study implementing stronger identity and age verification protocols.
