MANILA, Philippines – Commuters on Metro Manila’s train lines will soon experience faster and more convenient travel as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) rolls out cashless payment systems across the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) lines starting this July.
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| Photo courtesy: Facebook/DOTr MRT-3 |
Following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to modernize and streamline public transportation, DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon announced on Friday that passengers will soon be able to pay for their fares using mobile wallets such as GCash and Maya, as well as debit and credit cards—removing the need to purchase or reload the traditional Beep cards.
“Inaayos na natin ang mga turnstiles para maging tap-and-go na gamit ang phone o card. Hindi mo na kailangan bumili ng Beep card,” said Dizon. “Mga bandang July ito—sa MRT at iba pang tren.”
This initiative supports President Marcos’s broader push for efficiency and modernization in government projects. The President has instructed Cabinet members and agency heads to complete programs on schedule and within budget to avoid inconveniencing the public.
The new open-loop automatic fare collection (AFC) system will enable seamless payments, similar to those used in global transport networks. “Nakikita natin ito sa ibang bansa. Sabi ng Pangulo, gawin na rin natin dito para sa mga kababayan natin,” Dizon added.
The DOTr is collaborating with transport operators and financial service providers to ensure a smooth implementation. Pilot testing and public awareness campaigns are scheduled ahead of the July launch.
With this move, the government hopes to reduce queues, simplify commutes, and bring Philippine public transport closer to global standards.
— The Summit Express