Govt extends SIM list-up, eyes ‘incentives’ By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
& Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
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HE government on Tuesday heeded the clamor to extend the deadline for the registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards for 90 days to avoid disfranchising key sectors and disrupt the march to digitalization, but laid out options it will take to ensure compliance with the SIM registration law. For one, it is now eyeing gradual service disruption to “incentivize” the public to comply within the extension period, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
In a press conference in Malacañang, DICT Secretary Ivan E. Uy said they are considering removing some services such as placing outgoing calls for mobile users with unregistered SIM cards for the first 30 or 60 days of the extended registration period. “We’re still deciding on the date—but, let’s say, after the 60 days, you will lose your access to your Facebook accounts or to your TikTok accounts. But you still can use your phone—you can still call; you can still text, and then after a certain period, you will lose your outgoing calls so that way, ramdam ninyo kung anong [you will feel the] effect na hindi kayo nagpaparehistro [of not having registered],” Uy told
reporters. He said they are also studying the possible restricting of social media access for unregistered SIM cards. “So for those who are hardheaded and difficult to convince of our seriousness, they will get a taste of our incentives,” Uy said in Filipino. DICT said it will be coordinating with telecommunication firms to implement the measures. The telcos, who with government are respondents in a petition in the Supreme Court to declare the SIM law unconstitutional, hailed news of the extension for 90 days. See story in Companies, B2. “We will talk about it [options to incentivize compliance] since
it will require an amendment in the IRR [implementing rules and regulations] [for the registration]. We are working on those options because if we do nothing and just extend [the registration period] by 90 days, we will still have the same problem [of late registration],” Uy said. After the 90-day period, unregistered SIM cards will be deactivated and users will lose access to their e-wallets and whatever financial services are linked to it. Uy, however, said they may consider a “catch up” registration after the 90-day period to allow the deactivated SIM Card to be used again. See “Sim,” A2
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Wednesday, April 26, 2023 Vol. 18 No. 191
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PERSISTENT PROBLEM OF FINANCING ACCESS EASED
BSP-Jica risk model targets SMEs
AMID ongoing conflict and growing concerns of further turmoil in Sudan, foreign governments are working to evacuate their citizens from the country. Military transport aircraft have been deployed by many nations, with France utilizing its Djibouti airbase for the airlift. However, the evacuation process has not been without complications, as roughly 2,000 British nationals are still in Sudan and have expressed dissatisfaction with their government's lack of information regarding evacuation plans. The accompanying image depicts Jordanians who were successfully evacuated from Sudan arriving at a military airport in Amman, Jordan, on April 24, 2023. AP/RAAD ADAYLEH By Cai U. Ordinario
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@caiordinario
ORE small and medium enterprises may now be able to tap the financial markets through the Credit Risk Database (CRD), according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica). In a launch on Tuesday, BSP Gover nor Fel ipe M. Med a l l a said that while SMEs are often referred to as the backbone of the
Philippine economy, the sector is beset by challenges, particularly See “BSP-Jica,” A2
2 NEW ECOZONES IN BACOLOD, BATANGAS TO PRIME GROWTH By Andrea E. San Juan
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RESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s proclamation of two new economic zones in Batangas Province and Bacolod City will “certainly bolster and spread economic g row th ” outside the National Capital Region, according to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza). Pe z a s a i d t h e s e n e w ecozones will bring in P1.641 billion worth of investments to the country.
On Apr il 14, Peza said the president signed Proclamation No. 200 promulgating a new IT park ecozone at Lacson Street in Banago, Bacolod City, to be known as Robinsons Cyberpark Bacolod, which Peza said has P777.350 million worth of projected investment. Likewise, the investment promotion agency said Marcos approved Proclamation No. 402 last April 19, designating several parcels of land See “Ecozones,” A2
RCEP to create competitive climate in energy–Lotilla By Lenie Lectura @llectura
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HE Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement would not have any adverse impact on imported energy goods such as oil and gas, the Department of Energy (DOE) said Tuesday. DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla said the RCEP agreement would, in fact, create a competitive investment environment in the region for the energy sector. It is expected to provide opportunities for expanded market access and establish clear,
stable, and predictable rules on trade in energy goods and services, including investments among participating countries. Lotilla added that energ yrelated trade in services would further improve the business climate of the energy sector in the country, supporting the agency’s aggressive push for the exploration, development, and utilization of the country’s indigenous energy resources as it transitions to a low-carbon future. Even before the country acceded See “RCEP,” A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 55.9190 n JAPAN 0.4167 n UK 69.8205 n HK 7.1246 n CHINA 8.1104 n SINGAPORE 41.9372 n AUSTRALIA 37.4266 n EU 61.7793 n KOREA 0.0420 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.9097 Source:
BSP (25 April 2023)