Mastercard has announced its partnership with Beep in order to provide contactless payments to public transportation in the region of the Philippines. Following this announcement, both companies will focus on enabling contactless acceptance of Mastercard cards in the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3 Line) and buses in the region of the Philippines.

The partnership aligns with the government’s aim to accelerate the overall digitalisation of payments and support digital inclusion, as well as with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap. At the same time, the ` Mastercard-Beep EMV Contactless Acceptance in Transport Partnership` is expected to broaden contactless acceptance in the area. More information on the partnership The initiative is set to deliver an optimised convenience to the customer commuting experience, while also simplifying the access to improved services and enabling travelers to tap-in and tap-out with their Mastercard products.

In addition, cardholders will be given the possibility to tap their prepaid, debit, or credit Mastercard cards on public transport without the need to purchase separate tickets for entry. The collaboration will allow clients in Metro Manila to benefit from optimised smart mobility through the launch of initiatives that bring transit systems in line with global transport standards. At the same time, Mastercard and Beep aim to provide Filipinos with the possibility to benefit from convenience and security in public transport through the use of an efficient and fast payment experience.

Furthermore, they will also focus on meeting the needs, preferences, and demands of the users and travelers, while remaining compliant with the requirements and laws of the local industry. From reducing lines and queues at peak hours to eliminating the necessity of carrying multiple transit tickets or cash, clients will be enabled to use the same payment methods in order to travel safely and more efficiently. According to the press release, both parties agreed to collaborate in order to develop a pilot program, expected to be rolled out in phases across MRT stations, as well as BGC and EDSA busses, with the overall aim to scale contactless payment acceptance across ferries and other modes of transportation in the near future, and eventually across the country.

The program will be used in the Beep network and is set to introduce and expand open-loop transit payments, which will be powered by Mastercard Gateway. Any dates for the pilot program rollout are expected to be announced in phases later in 2024. .