No price increase in train fare, only in beep card issuance fee, DOTr clarifies

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday announced that there will be a price increase in the sale of beep card or stored value cards.

The DOTr clarified, however, that there was no increase in the actual fare of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1, 2, and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3.

“There is NO INCREASE in actual Fare of LRT-1, LRT-2 and MRT-3. The increase that was reflected is the charge in the ISSUANCE FEE of the BEEP Stored Value Card,” DOTr said in a statement.

DOTr explained the increase is in compliance with the 2014 concession agreement between the then Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and AF Payments Inc.

“Any Stored Value Card distributed by the Concessionaire until 31 December 2019 shall be charged an ISSUANCE FEE of not more than Twenty Pesos (PhP 20); and any Stored Value Card distributed by the Concessionaire after 31 December 2019 shall be charged an issuance fee of not more than Thirty Pesos (PhP30),” DOTr said, quoting the 2014 agreement.

“Currently, the DOTr is reviewing the said concession agreement and all its provisions, with the end view of determining how best to protect public interest,” DOTr added.

The LRT management earlier announced card issuance fee of the Beep card or stored value tickets will be increased from P20 to P30 effective January 1, 2020.