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Beep (smart card)

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Not to be confused with BeepRides, the smart card for the Bagong Jeep (BEEP).
beep™
LocationMetro Manila
LaunchedJuly 20, 2015; 9 years ago (2015-07-20)[1]
Technology
OperatorAF Payments Inc.
ManagerAF Payments Inc.
CurrencyPHP (₱10,000 maximum load)
Credit expiry4 years
Validity
Retailed
Websitebeep.com.ph
Regular card
Concessionary card for elderly
Regular Beep card (left) and concessionary card for senior citizens (right)

Beep (stylized in lowercase) is a reloadable contactless smart card created in 2015 to be a replacement for the magnetic card-based system in paying rail-based rapid transit transportation fares in and around Metro Manila. Beep is also used in lieu of cash in some convenience stores and other businesses. The Beep system is implemented and operated by AF Payments Incorporated, which is primarily owned by Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.

Overview

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A woman taps her Beep card on one of the turnstiles at an MRT station to exit the platform.
A woman uses a Beep card to exit the loading/unloading area of an MRT Line 3 station.
A woman uses a bright yellow machine to reload her Beep card at a train station.
A Beep card loading machine at Carriedo station

The Beep payment system is implemented and operated by AF Payments Incorporated, which is a joint venture of Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.[2]

The system makes use of a reloadable contactless smart card of the same name. Each card can store a value of up to ₱10,000. Beep cards can be used to travel through the Manila railway lines such as the LRT Line 1, LRT Line 2, and MRT Line 3, select bus lines, and to pay for toll fees on the CAVITEX and NLEX roads. They can also be used as a mode of payment at FamilyMart stores through the tap-to-pay system. Aside from at FamilyMart outlets and MRT and LRT stations, Beep cards can be reloaded at Bayad Centers, SM Bills Payment Centers, Villarica Pawnshops, and Tambunting outlets,[3] BPI Mobile app, and the Coins.ph app for NFC-enabled devices.[4] Some third-party loading partners are charging convenience fee ranging from ₱5.00 to ₱20.00 per transaction.

History

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Background

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The old automated fare collection system made the use of magnetic cards. Since 2006, plans to upgrade the fare system in the MRT Line 3 have been laid. It experimented RFID technology as an alternative ticketing system to the magnetic cards.[5] However, it was phased out by 2009.[6]

Development

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In 2012, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the predecessor to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), announced a plan to bid out a ten-year contract for a common ticketing system for Line 1, Line 2, and Line 3.[6]

AF Payments was one of the bidders for the project, along with SM Investments. AF Payments was awarded the contract in January 2014,[7] and the concession agreement was signed on March 31, 2014.[8]

By August 5, 2015, all stations of Line 1 and Line 2 were already using beep cards.[9] A unified ticketing system for all elevated rail lines in Metro Manila was completed when the beep card system became available to use in all stations of the MRT Line 3 line on October 3, 2015.[10][9]

In June 2017, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) Bus and AF Payments Inc. rolled out the use of beep card system in bus operations. The new beep card for BGC Bus replaces the TapBGC stored value cards.[11]

AF Payments and FamilyMart secured a partnership which allowed the reloading of beep cards in FamilyMart outlets starting December 7, 2016. It also allowed patrons of the convenient store to make purchases using the smart card.[12] AF Payments also planned to secure similar deals with 7-Eleven and Uncle John's (formerly Ministop).[13]

In partnership with GCash, it became the first QR code transport ticketing system in the country on October 15, 2019 with BGC Bus and Cebu's Topline Express Ferries being the first to adopt the system for passengers’ payment through the GCash mobile app.[14][15]

Reception

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AF Payments Inc. announced in March 2017 that it has sold 3 million beep cards, mostly to riders of LRT and MRT since it began the system's operations in 2015. It claimed that about 60 percent of MRT and LRT riders used Beep cards to pay their train travel expenses while the rest used the standard single-journey tickets.[2] As of November 2018, more than five million cards have been sold and the company expects user growth at 1% to 2% annually. It was able to monitor one billion transactions on the year 2018, and plans to boost further by rolling out more payment services mostly in the transportation sector.[16]

Plans

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There are proposals to implement the system outside of Metro Manila and Cebu. The Southern Mindanao Bus Operators Association (SMBOA) is proposing the use of a Beep card at Davao City. SMBOA president Jerry Sy made the suggestion during their board meeting. He also urged them to introduce the technology to other bus companies.[17]

A private firm is eyeing to partner with jeepney cooperatives in Bukidnon province and the cities of Iloilo for their jeepneys in support of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) in the country. Peter Maher, president and chief executive officer of AF Payments Inc., said the initiative is part of the expansion outside Metro Manila.[18] The company is also looking to integrate the beep card system with the under-construction MRT Line 7, Metro Manila Subway, North–South Commuter Railway and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Bicol projects.[18]

Issues

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  • On October 1, 2020, the "No beep card, no ride" policy was implemented in EDSA Busway to minimize physical contact between commuters and public transport personnel to reduce their risk of getting COVID-19 and to pave way for more seamless and faster transactions to trim down the queuing of passengers. The new policy has drawn flak from commuters due to the current price of the card and its immediate implementation.[19] Within the first week of its implementation, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) suspended the mandatory use of beep cards after AF Payments Incorporated refused the government's request to waive the ₱80.00 costs of beep cards.[20]
  • In August 2022, the Department of Transportation warned of an impending supply shortage of beep cards, influenced by current events such as the Ukraine-Russia war and COVID-19-related logistics issues. The agency is looking for solutions to the supply problem.[21]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "LRT-MRT automated ticketing system starts September". Rappler. March 25, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Ignacio, Reiceline Joy (March 17, 2017). "AF Payments hits 3M mark in beep card sales". Manila Times. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  3. ^ "'Beep' card reloading available in malls, pawnshops". ABS-CBN News. August 5, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  4. ^ "Tap and Load your beep™ Card with the Coins.ph Android App". Coins.ph. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  5. ^ Reyes, Mary Ann Ll. (November 17, 2006). "Globe bares G-Pass ticketing for MRT3". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Amojelar, Darwin G. (January 29, 2013). "Ayala group to bid for common ticket system". TV5 News and Information. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  7. ^ "Ayala-MPIC group wins LRT-MRT ticketing system project". ABS-CBN News. January 31, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  8. ^ "DOTC, AF Consortium sign ten-year concession agreement for LRT–MRT single ticketing system". Public-Private Partnership Center (Press release). April 2, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "MRT-3 passengers start using beep cards". GMA News Online. October 3, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  10. ^ Corrales, Nestor (October 1, 2015). "LRT, MRT to use 'beep card' starting Oct. 3". Inquirer.net. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  11. ^ Tacadena, Kiersnerr Gerwin (June 27, 2016). "BGC Bus rolls out use of beep card". GMA News Online. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  12. ^ "AF Payments to further expand beep card usage". BusinessWorld. December 8, 2016. Archived from the original on February 28, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  13. ^ "AF Payments partners with FamilyMart on 'beep' cards". GMA News Online. December 2, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  14. ^ Charm, Neil (October 15, 2019). "AF Payments, GCash launch QR code transport ticketing system". BusinessWorld. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  15. ^ Cabuenas, Jon Viktor (October 14, 2019). "BGC Bus, Cebu's Topline Express Ferries roll out QR ticketing system". GMA News Online. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  16. ^ Valdez, Denise A. (November 11, 2018). "AF Payments sees beep card user growth at 1-2%". BusinessWorld. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  17. ^ Comilang, Randie J. (March 7, 2019). "Bus operators push for beep cards". Sunstar Davao. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  18. ^ a b Pateña, Aerol John (November 27, 2018). "Beep card firm to partner with provincial jeepney groups". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  19. ^ "EDSA busway passengers must pay fares via beep cards starting Oct. 1". cnn. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  20. ^ Marquez, Consuelo (October 4, 2020). "Mandatory use of beep cards along Edsa busway halted — DOTr". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  21. ^ "DOTr warns of 'beep' card shortage". The Philippine STAR.
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