The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has ordered the consortium that operates the automatic fare collection system that is being used in Metro Manila’s rail systems and EDSA busway to just give the stored value cards or beep cards to commuters for free upon fare load payment.
The order came on the heels of the implementation of the “no beep card, no ride” policy on buses along the EDSA busway system.
Transportation Sec. Arthur Tugade on Thursday said that commuters who are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic have to shell out an additional P30 to P50 for the price of the beep card on top of the initial fare load.
“Dapat libre lang ang card. We are still under quarantine measures. Workers who have just returned to work are the main users of the rail system and the EDSA Busway. 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.
The DOTr said that officials of the agency unanimously agreed that the cost of the stored value card should not be passed to commuters, adding that the riding public should also have “the option to load the card with whatever amount he needs for the fare.”
The implementation of the “no beep card, no ride” policy is aimed to reduce the spread of viruses associated with handling cash in public transport.
The beep cards can be purchased in any LRT and MRT-3 stations as well as in all FamilyMart branches in Metro Manila and bus 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.
Commuters can reload their beep cards in LRT and MRT-3 stations, FamilyMart and Ministop branches, outlets of Bayad Center and their affiliates, or via Over-the-Air or OTA loading partners such as BPI, Eon by Unibank, Akulaku, and Justpayto.