Mobile leader Globe welcomed the release of new guidelines by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to improve the ID verification in the SIM registration process.
As customer protection remains its top priority, Globe asserts that the effective implementation of the SIM Registration Act requires close collaboration and consultation among key industry stakeholders, regulators and law enforcement agencies.
At the recent Senate hearing, a concern was raised with regard to the acceptance of an animal photo in lieu of a real person’s ID. This placed the quality of verification in the SIM registration process into question.
Even as Globe has fully complied with the requirements of the SIM Registration Act resulting in the registration of 54M SIMs, there remain areas of improvement to help avert online fraud and scams.
The first is having a proper identification system for all citizens such as the national ID. This is needed to avoid using various types of government-issued IDs that may be tampered with or compromised. This is an important area that must be pursued vigorously. We renew our call for consultations with the government on improvements in the rollout of the National ID, and law enforcement.
Second, recent guidelines released by the NTC to verify the identity of SIM owners is a welcome initiative. Even as Globe will comply with the guidelines, fresh investments must be made to deploy a more sophisticated identification solution. Looking at various technical solutions will take time to ensure we implement a solution that truly addresses the unique and complex requirements of the SIM Registration law.
Third, the implementation of the SIM Registration Act is only the first step towards deterring online fraud and scams. Effective law enforcement and intelligence that can keep up with tech-based criminal activities must also be in place if we are to achieve a scam-free Philippines. Another issue is citizens sell their registered SIMs and act as mules.
“When SIM registration was implemented last year, telcos only had 15 days to design its SIM registration platform following the release of the IRR. Our capability for ID validation is also limited by the lack of access to a database where we may verify submissions. For facial or optical character recognition to work efficiently and accurately, there should be a database of facial biometrics and IDs that only government issuers possess,” said Atty. Froilan Castelo, General Counsel of the Globe Group.
“We are currently working with the government to enhance our SIM registration platform, and we hope to get access to data with which we can verify documents submissions, including photo IDs,” added Castelo.
“Moving forward, we are optimistic that with the recent post-validation guidelines from the NTC, we will be able to weed out those who submitted fake credentials to register, deactivate their SIMs, and report them to law enforcers for investigation,” Castelo said.
Globe called on SIM users to submit only verified information and IDs in registering their SIMs as fraudulent submissions are penalized under the SIM Registration Act. Individuals who provide false information or fake IDs may face prison time of six months to 2 years, and a P300,000 fine. (PR)
Must we go back in time?
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR III
Many people today are unhappy with their lives. They face various problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, boredom, dissatisfaction, and lack of meaning. They often wish they could go back in time to a simpler and happier era, where they could enjoy the beauty of nature, the warmth of human relationships, the joy of creativity, and the peace of mind.
But is going back in time really a good idea? Would it make us live better and happier? In this essay, I will argue that going back in time is not a realistic or desirable solution for our current problems, and that we should instead focus on improving our present and future.
Going back in time is not a feasible possibility, to start with. Time travel is not proven to be conceivable by science, and even if it were, there would be several moral and intellectual contradictions. What would happen to history and our own life, for instance, if we could modify something in the past? Would we rewrite the timeline or would we just delete it? How would we handle the fallout from our actions? And traveling back in time wouldn’t necessarily make us happier. Diseases, wars, poverty, oppression, illiteracy, and violence are just a few of the potentially difficult issues we may encounter.
We might face different but equally challenging problems, such as diseases, wars, poverty, oppression, ignorance, and violence. We might also lose some of the benefits and comforts that we enjoy today, such as technology, education, health care, entertainment, and human rights. We might not even fit in with the people and culture of the past, and feel alienated and isolated.
Secondly, going back in time is not a desirable option. It implies that we are giving up on our present and future, and that we are not willing to face and solve our problems. It also implies that we are idealizing and romanticizing the past, and ignoring its flaws and drawbacks. The past was not perfect; it had its own share of hardships and sufferings.
Moreover, going back in time would mean that we are missing out on the opportunities and possibilities that the present and future offer. The present and future are not hopeless; they have their own share of beauty and goodness. There are still many things to learn, discover, create, enjoy, and improve in the world. There are still many people to love, help, inspire, and be inspired by. There are still many ways to grow, change, adapt, and overcome our challenges.
Therefore, I believe that going back in time to live better and happier is not a realistic or desirable solution for our current problems. Instead of escaping from reality or dwelling on nostalgia, we should embrace our present and future with optimism and courage. We should appreciate what we have and work for what we want. We should seek happiness not in the past but in the present moment. We should also strive to make the world a better place for ourselves and others. Going back in time might seem tempting but it is not the answer.
We can just create a better present and plan an even better future.