SENATE President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez signed on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, the proposed SIM Registration Act and the bill on the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) for submission to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
The two measures were the firsts to be passed under the 19th Congress.
Zubiri and Romualdez led the ceremonial signing of the bills along with several senators and congressmen.
The signed copies of the enrolled bills were turned over to Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza for the approval and signature of Marcos.
Zubiri said they are hoping that the two proposed bills will be passed into law.
He said Marcos is expected to ink the measures by Thursday, October 6, 2022.
“I am confident that the administration sees the urgent need for this bill. We have also addressed the concerns regarding social media registration raised in the previous veto, so umaasa tayong wala nang magiging problema dito,” he said.
The SIM Registration Act (Senate Bill 1310/House Bill 14) seeks to put an end to crimes being committed through mobile phones especially by sending text scams, and regulating the sale and use of SIMs by requiring users to register their SIMs with valid identification.
“Scammers keep on finding creative ways to trick people, and we can’t stop or even trace them kasi nga anonymous sila. Bagong scam, bagong SIM, ganon kadali,” Zubiri said.
The BSKE measures, on the other hand, also known as Senate Bill 1306 and House Bill 4673, seek to reschedule the BSKE from December 2022 to October 2023.
The bill aims to address the issues confronting the BSKE, as well as to use the funds intended for it on the Covid-19 response of the country. (SunStar Philippines)