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Two lawmakers on Sunday asked the Department of Transportation (DoTr) to provide free sound cards to travelers.
The DoTr previously announced that the “No Beep Card, No Ride” policy would be implemented by EDSA’s busway system effective October 1, 2020.
The DoTr announced Sunday that it had suspended the mandatory use of sound cards on the EDSA busway “until the problem is resolved.”
“AFPI must be reminded that people are already doing quite badly due to the pandemic,” Bagong Henerasyon’s representative Bernadette Herrera said in a statement.
AF Payments Inc. (AFPI), a consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp., is the company behind tap-and-go cards.
A sound card costs P80.
“Perhaps it would be better if the company completely subsidized the cost of the Beep card and not pass it on to the passengers (it would be better if the company fully subsidized the cost of the Beep card,” Herrera said.
Quezon City 2nd District Representative Precious Hipólito Castelo also urged the Commerce Department to provide travelers with free Beep or fare cards for the three public transportation systems in Metro Manila and Carousel buses at EDSA.
Castelo made the appeal by presenting Resolution 1272.
“It is hereby suggested that Beep cards be issued to travelers free of charge,” he said.
Castelo said that while the intention to switch to cashless and contactless transactions to minimize health risks was laudable, “the cost of a Beep card, which is P180 (with an initial charge of P100), is too much for minimum wage earners who often have only the exact daily rate for their daily commute. “
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