President Rodrigo R. Duterte pointed out Monday night that Beep cards must be free of charge after being informed that many commuters cannot afford the extra cost.
“Card lang naman ‘yan, ibigay na ‘yan (nang) libre. Bakit pabayaran pa ‘yan? We have been wasting so many billions to corruption tapos hindi ‘yan, hindi mo maibigay. (That’s only a card. Give it for free. Why do they need to pay for it? We have been wasting so many billions to corruption then you cannot give that [for free].) That’s why I would like to talk to Secretary Tugade next meeting because I would raise with him the possibility of giving it for free.”
President Duterte has also asked the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to expand the reach of news regarding the implementation of the cashless payment so that all Filipinos especially the working class will understand and comply with the rule. He suggested ways to spread the news such as publishing it in newspapers or translating the message into Tagalog.
In response, the Beep cards provider, AF Payments Inc. is set to distribute 125,000 Beep cards for commuters who cannot afford to purchase. The cards to be distributed are donations from their shareholders and business groups. – Report from Karen Villanda
