Bayan: MRT, LRT riders face higher-priced Beep card, fare hike

ADJUSTING TO BEEP CARDS The new tap-and-go cards fail to eliminate long lines of commuters on Monday at MRT 3 stations on Edsa. The reloadable beep cards can now be used at LRT 1, LRT 2 and MRT 3, providing a seamless transfer from one line to another. RAFFY LERMA / INQUIRER FILE

After the use of “Beep” cards was fully implemented in all three railway systems in Metro Manila, a militant umbrella group warned on Wednesday that commuters would be facing a more expensive reloadable card and several fare hikes by 2020.

In a statement, Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes said that it was provided in the contract between AFCS private concessionaire Ayala-Metro Pacific and the Department of Transportation and Communication (Dotc) that the Beep card would cost P30 in 2020, a P10 increase in its current price.

“These initial stored value allocations shall made available to the PTOs at these rates: (i) any Stored Value Card distributed by the concessionaire until 31 December 2019 shall be charged with a Card Issuance Fee of not more than twenty pesos (P20.00); (ii) any Stored Value Card distributed by the concessionaire after 31 December 2019 shall be charged with a Card Issuance Fee of not more than thirty pesos (P30.00),” the part of the contract read.

Reyes said the price increase in the Beep card would also mean a fare increase in the Light Rail Transit 1 and 2 systems and the Metro Rail Transit.

“Fares would have also gone up. The government has previously assured LRT 1 private operator of a 10% fare hike every two years from 2015. By that time, your P100 minimum card purchase may only be good for two rides,” he said.

He slammed the DoTC for supposedly failing to fulfill its mandate of protecting the interests of the riding public.

“Once again, DOTC failed in its mandate to uphold the interests of the people,” Reyes ended.