Ang Pahayagan

MANILA— Major Philippine telecommunications firms under the Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI) group launched on Monday, June 22, the mascot “SIMon” to intensify the nationwide drive for mobile number portability (MNP).

The TCI group, composed of DITO Telecommunity, Globe Telecom, and Smart Communications in partnership with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), officially introduced “SIMon” as its new ambassador to boost the MNP campaign and engage more Filipino subscribers.

SIMon is designed as a huge SIM (subscriber identity module) card with a smiling face. TCI said the mascot’s friendly and engaging character is expected to provide better accessibility to key MNP messages and make them more comprehensible to the public.

“SIMon embodies our mission to make mobile number portability simple, approachable, and empowering for every Filipino subscriber,” said TCI general manager Melanie Manuel.

“Through this initiative, we want to assure consumers that they have the freedom to choose the mobile service that best meets their needs—without losing the number that connects them to family, friends, and opportunities,” Manuel also said.

NTC Commissioner Ella Blanca A. Lopez, meanwhile, said the introduction of SIMon “reflects our shared commitment to uphold the Mobile Number Portability Act and ensure that its benefits are fully realized by the public.”

MNP is a free service that allows mobile subscribers to keep their existing mobile number when switching from one mobile network provider to another.

The program is governed by Republic Act No. 11202, or the Mobile Number Portability Act, which requires mobile service providers to offer nationwide mobile number portability to subscribers.

“By making MNP information more engaging and easier to understand, we are empowering subscribers to exercise their rights and fostering a more competitive telecommunications industry,” Lopez said. – Taktikom News & Features

📸 NEW AMBASSADOR: TCI members launch SIMon, the MNP mascot, in a meeting at the NTC office. Photo shows SIMon with (L-R): Atty. Roy Ibay of Smart Communications; TCI GM Melanie Manuel; NTC Commissioner Ella Lopez; Deputy Commissioner Andy Castelar; Atty. Ariel Tubayan of Globe Telecom; and Atty. Nino Martin Cruz of DITO Telecommunity.