Those with Mastercard going to BGC by bus are now able to their transportation fare using that very same card.
On Thursday, November 21, Mastercard and AF Payments, Inc. — owner of the Beep card service — launched the new tap-and-go scheme in BGC busiest that ply routes to the Bonifacio Global City financial district in Taguig.
In this arrangement, Mastercard has enabled its Open Loop Transit System that allows users to pay for their fares using their credit and debit card under the said brand.
It is also the very same system currently in use in other transport systems like in Singapore, Hong Kong, and London that allows users to pay for their bus and rail fares.
That technology also allows 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 in a past statement.
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.”
Aside from BGC Bus, the payment method will be eventually rolled out by AF Payments throughout the MRT-3 rail line and EDSA Carousel networks in 2025.
For now, commuters in these networks will continue to pay using Beep’s single journey tickets (SJTs) or stored value cards (SVCs).