(Eagle News) — Transportation Secretary Art Tugade wants beep cards given to commuters for free after they pay for the minimum load required.
In a statement, the Department of Transportation said Tugade ordered key officials from the DOTr rail and road sector to ensure that the consortium that operates the automatic fare collection system being used in the Metro Manila rail systems and on the EDSA Busway–AF Payments, Inc., the consortium composed of conglomerates Ayala Group and First Pacific Group—implements this.
According to Tugade, instead of paying an additional P30 for the stored value card, the minimum load for each card should suffice.
“Malaking bagay para sa mga ordinaryong manggagawa ang P30-P50 na ikakaltas para bayaran ang card ng Beep. Pasahe din ‘yun. They should be spared from the burden of having to pay the price of the beep card on top of their fares,” Tugade said.
Tugade issued the statement after the DOTr announced cashless transactions would be implemented on public utility buses that ply the EDSA Busway route starting today, October 1.
Aside from the buses plying the EDSA Busway, the beep card can be used to pay fares in LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 train lines, and some point-to-point buses, and modern public utility vehicles.
Fare is deducted from the card once it is tapped at a fare collection machine.
Passengers can purchase beep cards in LRT and MRT-3 stations, in all Metro Manila branches of FamilyMart as well as in bus terminals such as HM Transport in Alabang Town Center and Market! Market!; BGC Bus in EDSA, Market! Market! and Bonifacio One Technology Tower; and RRCG in Alabang Town Center, Greenbelt 1, Greenbelt 5, Star Mall Alabang, and Starmall Shaw.
The beep card is valid for four years.