DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 27 (PIA) -- The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) - 7 will roll out remote SIM Card Registration in Negros Oriental to reach more people and get their SIM cards registered with their respective telecommunications companies before the deadline set by the SIM Card Registration Act.

NTC7 Legal Officer Atty. Alan Felix Macaraya Jr. announced this in a recent Kapihan sa PIA forum attended by the members of the Association of Negros Oriental Public Information Officers (ANOPIO).

“The NTC will go to remote areas. Katong areas na hinay ang signal. Katong mga areas na daghang cellphone nga karaan kato bitaw analog lang na cellphone ba (Those areas that have weak signal coverage and where a lot of people who are still using analog cellphones). Since it is compulsory to register your SIM cards, we need to facilitate that,” Macaraya said.

He noted that SIM registration slowed down for the month of February.

The registration of SIM cards is mandated by the SIM Card Registration Act which aims to protect mobile phone users from text scams, spam messages, and other fraudulent acts using cellphone numbers and prevent it from happening in the future.

The NTC7 official reiterated the deadline for SIM Card Registration which is on April 26.

SIM cards that have not been registered will automatically be deactivated by April 27.

Globe Group Business Development Lead Jascer Merced agreed that the challenge right now is to reach the people in far-flung communities.

Merced said the Globe Telecom has an ongoing partnership with NTC in establishing SIM card registration sites in government-covered courts so that people can come and register their SIM cards. 

Both officials also sought the help of Public Information Officers (PIOs) in cities and municipalities in Negros Oriental to help inform the public about this undertaking and also to facilitate SIM Card Registration in the hinterlands.

“I think one of the main deterrent for people not to register is the lack of urgency but we can support or boost ang ilahang pag-register by doing information campaign which is one of the goals in this Kapihan (which is) to ensure that you, our partners in our universities and in government, are able to assist us,” Merced said.

Merced stressed that SIM card registration is free and hassle-free and the process would only take at least five minutes.

PIOs can also coordinate with NTC, Globe, and SMART offices in Negros Oriental for holding remote SIM Registration in the hinterlands.  

Bais City PIO Andres Guevarra expressed his support to NTC and to telcos cascading this important information to the barangay.

“We have 35 barangays in Bais City and I have organized 35 Barangay Development Information Officers (BDIOs) to help the PIO office. Anytime next week, I will be meeting the 35 BDIOs for this SIM Registration,” Guevarra said.

Meanwhile, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Provincial Head Engr. Aurelio Tinapay disclosed that the agency also has a support intervention to the SIM Card Registration.

“Duna mi mga free wi-fi sites na pwede ninyo maadtuan kon maglisod mo kabahin og connectivity (we have free wi-fi sites that you can visit in case you have problems on connectivity),” Tinapay said.

He added that cellphone users may also visit their office in Dumaguete City if they need assistance on SIM Card Regisration. (RAL/ PIA7 Negros Oriental)