The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) decided to extend the period for SIM registration on Tuesday to accommodate remote areas where subscribers have difficulty with the registration process.

“That’s why we extended this because based on the data we gathered, there really are areas with low registration rates” Information and Communication Technology Ivan John Uy told dzBB.

He earlier said that the areas with the lowest number of registered SIMs were Dinagat, Siquijor, and Camiguin Islands.

Uy said the law mandating SIM card registration allows the DICT to extend it if circumstances warrant.

The earlier SIM card registration was to expire Wednesday, but President Ferdinand Marcos Jr granted a 90-day extension.

Uy described the 120-day registration period as ''very successful', pointing out that 80 million SIM cards were registered out of 100 SIM million cards being used. The 100 million figure came from the telcos themselves, Uy added.

“This is the final and last extension because the law does not give us the authority to provide another extension again. This is a hard deadline. And if the 90 days have expired, your SIM card will really be deactivated. You won’t be able to call or text anymore,” Uy said.

He reiterated his warning that SIM services will slowly be restricted within the 90-day extension.

“The lawmakers had anticipated that some people will register at the last minute. We are thinking of ways to incentivize people to register because there are a few who feel that we are not serious about deactivating or cutting off their SIMs. So during our deliberation, we thought about gradually letting them feel the effect of not being able to access the services of their SIM card,” he said.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, he said that within 30 or 60 days of the deadline extension, unregistered subscribers would lose access to social media, mobile banking, and eventually calls and texts. Jaspearl Tan/DMS