No fare increase in LRT-1, LRT-2, MRT-3 amid Beep card price hike – DOTr

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday clarified that the increase in the issuance fee for Beep cards did not necessarily mean that fares for Metro Manila’s railway lines had also increased.

“There is NO INCREASE in actual Fare of LRT-1 (Light Rail Transit Line 1), LRT-2 (Light Rail Transit Line 2) and MRT-3 (Metro Rail Transit Line 3),” the DOTr emphasized, and the increase that was reflected was the charge in the issuance of the Beep Stored Value Cards.

“Simula sa ika-1 ng Enero 2020, ang Card Issuance Fee para sa Stored Value 'Beep Card' ay tataas mula P20.00 hanggang P30.00," the LRTA said in an advisory. 

The DOTr said the card issuance fee increase was an automatic provision indicated in the concession agreement signed by then Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and AF Payments Inc. - the concessionaire jointly owned by the Ayala Group and Metro Pacific Investments - in March 31, 2014.

Section 16.5.b of that 2014 agreement says that and “Stored Value Card distributed by the Concessionaire until 31 December 2019 shall be charged an ISSUANCE FEE of not more than Twenty Pesos (PhP 20); and any Stored Value Card distributed by the Concessionaire after 31 December 2019 shall be charged an issuance fee of not more than Thirty Pesos (PhP30).”

Nevertheless, the DOTr said it was currently reviewing the said concession agreement and all its provisions, with the end view of determining how best to protect the public interest. 

“A report will be provided to the public soonest on our evaluation and review,” said the department. — DVM, GMA News