House panel approves bill vs fraudulent texts, calls

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Tired of receiving text messages asking for cellphone load? Consumers need not worry, as a bill against unsolicited texts and calls advances in the House of Representatives.

The committee on information and communications technology  approved the bill consolidating both House Bill 1030 and House Resolution  86 seeking to curb fraudulent texts and calls which intervene in a cellphone user’s privacy, a statement read on Friday.

HB 1030 authored by Pasig City Representative Roman Romulo seeks to protect the privacy of consumers from calls and texts asking for solicitations, or endorsing goods and services.

Meanwhile, HR 86 by Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo called for an inquiry into a scheme of using fraudulent text messages that dupe consumers for their money.

The unnumbered consolidated or substitute bill provides for the creation of the “No Calls and No Text Registry”, which will keep mobile numbers confidential, under the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Those who seek to limit the unsolicited calls and text messages may register in the registry.

Only those who register before the NTC can access the numbers in the registry, the bill read.

The bill will also deem illegal the making of calls or texts without revealing the name of the sender or the company represented. It will also require the sender or caller to give a telephone number with which to verify the information.

The messages deemed fraudulent in the bill are those that congratulate the receiver for winning a prize and those that ask for load, as well as those that trick the receiver to give personal information.

The bill imposes a P50,000 to P100,000 fine to any offender.

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