The riding public will now have to pay P10 more for the card issuance fee charged for reloadable beep cards starting Jan. 1, 2020.
The reloadable beep cards can be used at LRT 1, LRT 2 and MRT 3, providing a seamless transfer from one line to another.
The Light Rail Transit Authority management said the reloadable card issuance fee of the stored value tickets would be increased from P20 to P30 effective Jan. 1, 2020.
In an advisory, the LRTA said the increase was in compliance with Section 16.5.b of the concession agreement between the Department of Transportation and the AFCS Payments Inc. regarding the card issuance fee charged for stored value tickets.
The labor group Bayan said the price increase in the beep card was seen as a move by the LRTA to increase the fares in the LRT 1 and 2 systems and the Metro Rail Transit.
“Fares would have also gone up. The government has previously assured LRT 1 private operator of a 10 percent fare hike every two years, saying the P100 minimum card purchase may only be good for two rides,” he said.
He slammed the DoTR for supposedly failing to fulfill its mandate of protecting the interests of the riding public.
“Once again, DoTR failed in its mandate to uphold the interests of the people,” Reyes said.