Beep Cards Suspended Following Disagreement Between Gov’t, AFPI
BEEP CARDS SUSPENDED – After the implementation of Beep cards, commuters may use cash to pay for bus fairs starting today.
Recently, commuters have voiced concerns regarding the price of the Beep cards. As such, the government heard the pleas of commuters and tried to make a deal with AF Payments Inc (AFPI). They are the service provider of the automatic fare collection system at EDSA Busway.
However, AFPI refused to make a compromise with the government to help out the commuters. In a public statement, the Department of Transportation said:
We are saddened by the refusal of AF Payments Inc. (AFPI), the provider of the automatic fare collection system (AFCS) at the EDSA Busway, to waive the cost of the Beep card despite consistent pleas made by the government. This would have made a big difference to the commuters, mostly daily wage earners who are the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
AFPI explained that they would be at a severe loss if they waived the P80 fee. Furthermore, the AFPI emphasized that their company gains zero profit even with the P80 cost. Along with this, the P80 fee was already subsidized with the money going straight to the manufacturer.
With the suspension, the dual payment system would once again be utilized for EDSA Busway passengers. But, if commuters already bought the existing Beep cards, they could still use them for payment of fares.
Meanwhile, Vice President Leni Robredo said that the government should shoulder the P80 purchase of the cards. Along with this, she suggested that the Beep Cards be distributed for free with an initial load of P100.
What do you think about this? Leave a comment below!
Thanks for reading. We aim to provide our readers with the freshest and most in-demand content. Come back next time for the latest news here on Philnews.
READ ALSO: Henry Omaga Diaz Joins Noli de Castro, Bernadette Sembrano in TV Patrol