Looking to save on your daily commute this coming year? If you use public transport regularly, you’ll want to get a beep card for electronic payments. This stored value card is used to pay for fares in various modes of transportation, including the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), the Light Rail Transit (LRT), point-to-point (P2P) buses, modern public utility vehicles (PUV), and even some ferries.
There’s no need to carry cash or buy single-journey tickets every time you ride as long as you have this card which you can easily reload in passenger terminals or online.
In case you didn’t know, beep offers senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), a special discounted beep card that they can use for public transport and other partner merchants. Meanwhile, students can get discounts on fares by presenting a valid school ID. Here’s what you need to know about these special cards and discounts.
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What’s the legal basis for fare discounts and who are entitled to these?
Senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and students are entitled to discounts on transportation based on local laws.
Under Republic Act No. 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 and RA 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons signed in 1992, senior citizens and PWDs are entitled to a 20 percent fare discount. The discount applies to all forms of public transportation, including the LRT, MRT, PNR, Skyways, buses, jeepneys, taxis, and shuttle services.
Meanwhile, RA 11314 or the Student Fare Discount Act approved in 2019, likewise grants students a 20 percent discount on fares in any public utility vehicle (PUV).
What is a discounted beep card?
The discounted beep card is a personalized card that gives the holder a discount on fares for rail transport and other partner merchants. It's also called a concessionary beep card.
The beep card can be used at MRT3, LRT1, LRT2, and other partner merchants
Unlike the standard blue beep card, the concessionary card is white with the name of the senior citizen or PWD printed on it to ensure that it won’t be subject to unauthorized use.
How do you apply for a discounted beep card?
Applicants will need to fill out a form, pay a processing fee, and show a valid student, Senior Citizen, or PWD ID. The personalized cards will be available for pick-up in the location where you applied after up to seven 7-10 calendar days. These cards are intended for personal use only and are non-transferable. Unauthorized use will result in the confiscation of the card and corresponding penalties.
Once claimed, the card can immediately be topped up with the minimum load and used. An automatic 20% discount will be applied to the standard fare, every time you ride using the card.
The Concessionary card has a validity period of 2 years.
Requirements for Senior Citizens and PWDs
Requirements for seniors:
- OSCA ID issued by city or municipality;
- Philippine Passport, or;
- Any document that establishes that you are a Philippine citizen aged 60 and above.
Requirements for PWDs:
- Valid PWD ID issued by city or municipality
Step-by-step procedure:
- Step 1: Bring a valid ID and a photocopy of any of the following to your nearest train station.
- Step 2: Fill out the Concessionary Card Application Form.
- You can get a copy of the form from the Passengers Assistance Office (PAO) on any LRT-1, LRT-2 or MRT-3 Station.
- Step 3: Pass the filled-up form, original and photocopy of your valid IDs.
- Pay P30 for the card issuing fee. Get the claim stub.
- Step 4: Return to the LRT-1, LRT-2 or MRT-3 Station on the claim date assigned.
- Bring the stub and pick up the concessionary card.
- Step 5: Use the card
- You can put a load (minimum P12) to use. The concessionary card has a validity period of 2 years. You can extend the validity period of your beep card.
How students can get discounts on fares
While beep Student cards were initially offered before the pandemic as seen in beep website’s terms and conditions page, beep has clarified that they currently have “no present facility yet for obtaining a discounted student beep cards for use in rail transport.”
According to beep's latest advisory, while there's no special card yet for the students, discounts can still be availed following below simple steps:
- Visit any station of LRT1, LRT2, or MRT3.
- Present a valid school ID to the teller.
- Fill out a Student Discount Coupon.
According to the LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2017-024, students can avail of discounted fares from Monday to Sunday, even during summer break, and legal and special legal holidays on PUVs such as public utility buses, public utility jeepneys, taxis and the like which are vehicles-for-hire, tricycles, trains, aircraft, and marine vessels.
However, this benefit does not cover students taking post-graduate studies such as masteral, doctoral, medicine, law, and others.
If you encounter issues in availing discounts or other commuter-related concerns, please call the DOTR hotline at: 0920-964-3687.
NOTE: Edited on 11 January 2025 to reflect the latest information regarding the availability of student beep cards.
