The Philippines unveil tap-to-pay fare system in metro line

Commuters can now pay train fares in MRT-3 stations with their credit or debit card.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) hailed the launch of tap-to-pay and scan-QR technologies at the local Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) stations.

Filipino commuters can now pay train fares by tapping their credit or debit card or scanning a QR code from their e-wallets.

“The central bank welcomes the development of the new fare collection system. This supports our broader push for a cash-lite economy, where Filipinos can confidently use digital payments for everyday transactions,” said BSP governor Eli M. Remolona Jr, on a message delivered on his behalf by Monetary Board member Walter Wassmer.

At the same event, BSP deputy governor Mamerto Tangonan said that the central bank will continue to work with the DOTr and BSP-supervised payment service providers to make payment systems interoperable, and to ensure that payment transactions are secure and reliable.

In a separate announcement, Visa said that its contactless payments are now live at MRT-3 stations.

Passengers can simply tap their Visa credit, debit, or prepaid card, or any Visa-enabled mobile device, directly at the turnstiles.

“This marks a significant step in building a more connected, cashless future for public transport in the Philippines,” said Jeff Navarro, country manager, Visa Philippines

On 25 July 2025, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) alongside the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and G-Xchange Inc. (GCash) partnered to introduce a “faster and easier” fare collection system under the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) project.