Visa to roll out tap-to-pay service in LRT-1, LRT-2, 7-Eleven stores

Digital payments provider Visa on Tuesday announced plans to roll out the tap-to-pay service for its card in counters of the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 (LRT-1) and 2 (LRT-2) by the end of the year and in all counters of local 7-Eleven operator Philippine Seven Corp. by next year.

According to Visa Philippines country manager Jeffrey Navarro, the company is working with Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) to launch turnstiles in the LRT-1 and LRT-2 that can be paid using Visa cards.

“So we work with RCBC on this one, so we’re helping lead, enable it with them, and yes, the indications that we also got it by the end of this year, it should be possible,” he told reporters in an interview in Taguig City.

“Yes, definitely we’re looking forward to having to launch LRT-1 and LRT-2 together with the DOTr (Department of Transportation) before the end of the year,” RCBC executive vice president and chief innovations and inclusion officer Lito Villanueva said.

The service was rolled out in stations of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) in July, allowing commuters to tap their debit and credit cards and e-wallets to pay for their trips.

Aside from this, Visa’s Navarro said the company has also partnered with Philippine Seven Corp. to allow customers to pay with their debit and credit cards. A pilot of 145 stores across the country have already been implementing the new service.

“We just want to see first how it really works and if there’s any concerns that need to be addressed, but really the plan is to expand it by end of December, but in quarter one, hopefully cover most of the locations,” he said.

Navarro said staff of 7-Eleven, particularly cashiers, will also be given training to boost awareness of the payment method, given reports that some still prefer cash payments even with other options available.

“Part of that, when we do the ramp up, there will also be programs to roll it out within the training group of 7-Eleven to really create that awareness... So that concerns like those are addressed so that when we scale, then at least it shouldn’t be those concerns, but something else,” he said.

With the launch of Google Pay in the Philippines on Tuesday, users will also be able to pay using their smartphones at LRT-1, LRT-2, and 7-Eleven counters once the tap-to-pay service is available. —VAL, GMA Integrated News