‘Beep’ to go livein LRT, MRT soon

IN CONNECTION with the Inquirer’s Sept. 6 editorial titled “Beep,” which painted an accurate picture of the challenges faced by Filipinos in their daily commute on the road or on the rails, we would like to share some points about the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) and the “beep” card.

For the past year, we at AF Payments Inc. have been working closely and nonstop with the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) to deliver a modern, convenient and seamless payment system across all rail lines. Through the beep card, we hope to make the payment experience better for our train riders. Like any new system being implemented, there have been operational glitches along the way but they were addressed immediately and as efficiently as possible.

Our work is not done. The beep card is now used in LRT 2 and the southbound lane of LRT 1. Very soon we will be going live on the northbound lane of LRT 1 and MRT 3. This means that we will be able to deliver a completely new payment system in just one year, which is quite fast for a complex project of this nature. But more than the speed of the delivery, we are focused on the quality of the service that we provide. We want to ensure that when we, together with the DOTC and LRTA, officially launch the product, the train riders will be able to easily use and maximize the benefits of the beep card.

As you insightfully mentioned in your piece, the Filipino commuters are not guinea pigs and we agree with you completely.

—PETER MAHER, president and CEO, AF Payments Inc.