MANILA —A lawmaker has called on the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to crack down on the widespread sale of pre-registered SIM cards, warning they are being exploited for financial crimes and online scams, especially with the holiday season approaching.

“I am calling on the NTC and DICT to use everything in their power to compel the telcos to come up with mechanisms that would identify the subscribers. You need to come up with an innovative solution. We cannot allow this to continue. The law is already there,” Senator Win Gatchalian said.

He added, “We need to put an end to this. Matagal na nating pinag-uusapan ito, lalo na ngayong magpapasko na naman.”

During a recent Senate hearing on the agencies’ proposed 2026 budgets, Gatchalian presented photos showing pre-registered SIMs being openly sold on Facebook and Shopee.

As one of the authors of the SIM Registration Act, the senator noted that the law’s goal—allowing law enforcement to identify unscrupulous groups or individuals involved in financial crimes and scams—has not been met because pre-registered SIM cards remain widely accessible.