A deal forged between Mastercard and AF Payments, the company behind the Philippines’ Beep payment cards, will enable contactless or ‘tap and go’ payments on public transport in the Philippines.

The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3 Line) and buses in Metro Manila are the first to access this payment network and widen the country’s contactless acceptance, as part the government’s goal to enable payment digitisation and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap.

Commuters will be able to tap their prepaid, debit or credit Mastercard cards on public transport across MRT stations and BGC and EDSA buses, with ferries and other modes of transportation and locations expected to be added to the network in the future. The program is exclusively available to the Beep network for a time before it is eventually expanded to open loop payments powered by Mastercard Gateway, the company’s payments system.

“This is expected to benefit millions of Filipino commuters in Metro Manila, enhancing smart mobility through initiatives that bring our transit systems in line with global transport standards. We are excited to collaborate with Mastercard to boost the acceptance of contactless payments in transport and further improve commuters’ payments experiences,” JJ Moreno, President and Chief Executive Officer at Beep, said.

The pilot program will be introduced in phases, dates of which will be announced later this year.

“Mastercard’s mission is to power a digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere, by making payments safe, simple, smart, and accessible. This partnership with Beep will help enhance the commuting experience for all Mastercard cardholders. From reducing queues at peak hours, to removing the need to carry multiple transit tickets or cash, cardholders will be able to use the same payment methods they already use for everyday spending,” Simon Calasanz, Country Manager, Philippines at Mastercard, said.

“What’s more, it also supports the government’s goal of driving financial and digital inclusion—improving the delivery of public services through innovative payment technologies.”