An infrastructure-oriented thinktank called on Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to stop the implementation of contactless cards on the EDSA busway system until all public concerns are resolved.

“The contactless cards were foisted on the public a mere three days before its October implementation. At PH180 outright cash-out, this is equivalent to 32% of Metro Manila’s minimum wage. This is equivalent to eight days of roundtrip transport costs, without needing to pay transaction costs and maintaining minimum balance requirements. Worse, the new system allows ONLY ONE ROUNDTRIP before needing to top-up, as PHP65 is reserved as maintaining balance. This is nothing but a cash-grab during a pandemic.”

This was the statement of Terry Ridon, Infrawatch PH convenor and former House transport committee member.

32% of minimum wage

Ridon said without the new automatic fare collection system (AFCS) in place, the PHP 22 roundtrip minimum fare for ordinary buses is only equivalent to 4% of minimum wage.

“The price gap is very wide: PHP 180 is  eight times more than PHP22. How can the ordinary factory worker be able to plan for more than a week’s allocation for transport costs?”

PHP 180 only pays for one round trip

“The situation for users of the EDSA busway system becomes worse, as soon as convenience fees and maintaining balances figure in the costs: For a usable load of PHP 100, a passenger can only make one day of roundtrip (PHP22) before needing to top-up, as PHP 65 is reserved as maintaining balance. Compare this to EIGHT ROUNDTRIPS without an AFCS using the same PHP 180, spread out across eight days. The math here cannot be disputed.” 

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Convenience fee raises roundtrip costs by PHP 5

Ridon said government should focus on removing the convenience fees upon loading the Beep cards, as this effectively raises fare costs by PHP 5. 

“The profit center for Beep cards is on the convenience fees each time users load their cards. For ordinary wage earners, they will usually top-up only for the required minimum load for a day’s roundtrip, which means they are charged convenience fees daily. This amounts to a revenue of at least PHP 1,500 per year per user. The same amount could instead be used by ordinary families for other necessities, especially during the pandemic.”

Ridon said the convenience costs should be borne by the busway consortium and operators.

“With AFCS in place, bus operators will save on labor costs from conductor salaries. Why then should busway users pay for convenience costs? The AFCS should be borne solely by the bus consortium and its operators.” 

Pandemic profit

“With this, there should be no doubt in our minds that there appears to be a clear attempt to make profit at the expense of users of the new EDSA busway system, under the pretext of social distancing and the coronavirus pandemic. Wag naman po sana natin kawawain ang mga tao, may pandemya man o wala.”