Commuters who own MasterCard-branded cards will be allowed to pay their transportation fare using it soon.
Earlier this week, AF Payments, Inc. — owner of the Beep card service — announced that it has entered into a partnership with MasterCard, which will allow users with credit and debit card under the brand to pay for their MRT and bus fares soon.
According to AF Payments, the scheme will be using technology from MasterCard, which is an open loop transit system currently used in other transport systems like in Singapore.
That technology will allow MasterCard users to pay using their credit card, debit card, and quick response (QR) codes.
“This is expected to benefit millions of Filipino commuters in Metro Manila, enhancing smart mobility through initiatives that bring our transit systems in line with global transport standards,” AF Payment’s President and Chief Executive Officer for Beep, JJ Moreno noted.
Meanwhile, according to MasterCard country manager Simon Calasanz, the initiative will ‘reduce queues during peak hours’ and ‘remove the need to carry multiple transit tickets or cash.’
The additional payment method will be piloted later this year by AF Payments throughout the MRT-3 train network, as well as the EDSA Carousel and BGC bus routes.
For now, commuters in these networks will continue to pay using Beep’s single journey tickets (SJTs) or stored value cards (SVCs).