IN response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to make public transport more convenient, the Department of Transportation announced that it will soon allow Light Railway Transit and Metro Railway Transit passengers to pay for fares using debit or credit cards, as well as mobile wallet platforms such as GCash and PayMaya.
According to DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon, the agency will begin deploying cashless turnstiles for the Automatic Fare Collection system across LRT and MRT stations starting July 2025. This development will eliminate the need to purchase or reload Beep cards—the contactless, stored-value smart cards currently used for train fare payments.
Commuters will soon be able to simply tap their phone or card at the turnstile, making travel more seamless and eliminating the long queues at station ticket booths. This innovation is a significant step forward in enhancing commuter convenience and modernizing our public transport infrastructure.
The Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection commends this initiative and calls on the DOTr and the Toll Regulatory Board to consider implementing the same payment innovation across our tollway systems.
Currently, motorists using major tollways—including NLEX, SCTEX, CAVITEX, C5 Link, CALAX, Skyway, SLEX, NAIAX, STAR Tollway, MCX, and TPLEX—are required to pay exclusively through the RFID system. This is similar in concept to the Beep card, requiring motorists to preload their RFID accounts with funds that can only be used for toll payments.
However, there are growing concerns with this system. A major issue is the concept of “floating money.” For example, if a motorist pays PHP 400 for a one-time trip from Manila to a northern province via NLEX, any unused balance in his RFID account—say, PHP 600—remains unusable for other transactions. This is especially problematic for motorists who use tollways infrequently, as their remaining funds are effectively locked in the RFID system.
Additionally, motorists have long complained about various RFID-related issues such as failure of sticker detection and incorrect account deductions. These problems could be mitigated by allowing alternative payment options.
Following the DOTr’s move to diversify fare payment methods in train systems, the LCSP strongly urges the same approach for tollways. Expanding toll payment options to include debit/credit cards and e-wallets would bring several benefits:
1. Exact fare deduction – Motorists would only pay the exact toll fee without needing to maintain a separate balance in a dedicated RFID account.
2. Greater convenience – Reloading through banks or e-wallets is faster and more flexible than topping up RFID accounts.
3. Reduced delays – Malfunctioning RFID stickers often cause traffic congestion at toll plazas. Accepting multiple payment options would lessen these disruptions.
The LCSP is encouraged by the government’s recognition of the practicality and efficiency of integrating modern payment solutions in public transport. We hope that tollways will soon follow suit, ensuring a more inclusive, reliable, and commuter-friendly transportation system for all.
Atty. Albert N. Sadili
Spokesperson – Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP)
