Starting in September, students, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) will enjoy a 50 percent fare discount on the MRT-3, LRT-1, and LRT-2 thanks to newly issued Beep Cards with the discount already embedded, a move aimed at simplifying and speeding up their commutes.
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Application and Renewal Process
At LRT-2 Antipolo Station, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon detailed how the system will work. When a student shows a valid school ID, the station will immediately print and activate a Beep Card with the half-fare feature preprogrammed.
“If you are a student, you will go to any station in September, show your ID, and your Beep card will be printed right then and there,” he said. These student cards will be valid for one school year and must be renewed annually by presenting ID again.
For senior citizens and PWDs, the process is even more streamlined: they simply present their government-issued IDs once and receive a permanent Beep Card loaded with the discount. Unlike students, they do not need to renew their cards each year.
Embracing Digitalization
Previously, filling out forms to avail discounts caused delays at station counters.
“I noticed earlier that a student filling out a form took approximately one minute and 30 seconds just for the form. That’s a waste of time,” Dizon admitted, noting this was inefficient for both students and station operations.
As part of modernization efforts, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will partner with the Commission on Audit to digitize verification processes and eliminate unnecessary steps.
Dedicated Counters to Speed Service
To further streamline access, every MRT-3 and LRT station will dedicate specific counters for processing and issuing these special Beep Cards, ensuring passengers can quickly avail of their discounts without long queues or extra paperwork.
This initiative is part of the DOTr’s broader push to modernize public transportation services, aiming to make commuting not only more affordable for vulnerable groups but also more efficient and convenient for all passengers.
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