Duterte nixes P80 Beep card stored value charge

Malacañang said President Duterte is against the initial cost for the stored value cards of Beep cards for passengers in the EDSA Busway because it only added to the burden of people who are already suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) suspended the mandatory use of Beep cards in EDSA Busway starting Oct. 5 after Beep card service provider AF Payments Inc. (AFPI) refused to do away with the P80 cost of the cards on top of the fare load.

In his Monday presser which was held in Boracay, Roque said Duterte really felt bad for the people who had to spend more just to get these cards.

"Ang naging damdamin ni Presidente ay tutol din siya sa binabayaran na Beep card (The President was against the charges for the Beep card)," he said.

"Nahabag po talaga ang Presidente doon sa isang balita na maraming mga naghihirap nating mga kababayan ang nagulat dahil ang pera nila ay sapat lamang sa pamasahe at pagkain para sa araw na iyon (The President really felt bad after he heard the news that people were shocked because they only had enough money for their fare and food for that day)," he added.

The DOTr said that passengers may pay cash in the EDSA Busway but they may also use their Beep card if they want to.

According to Roque, the suspension of the mandatory use of Beep cards means that the government listens to the people.

"Itong pagsuspinde ng gamit ng Beep card altogether, ay patunay na nakikinig ang gobyerno sa taumbayan (The suspension of the use of Beep Cards means that the government is listening to the public)," he said.

"Hindi po natin made-deny na may puso naman po itong administrasyon na ito (We cannot deny that this administration has a heart for the people)," he added.

Commuters had criticized the DoTr's "No Beep card, No Ride" policy due to the lack of proper information dissemination ahead of its implementation.