DOTr finalizing national standards for interoperable payment system

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to release a nationwide standard specification for transit fare media and transit readers in line with plans for a nationwide interoperable automated fare collections system (AFCS) across all transport modes.

The DOTr is formulating and finalizing the release of the AFCS National Standards “to ensure interoperability and mutual trust among multiple automatic fare collection players and systems.”

The agency said one part of the planned AFCS National Standards is EMVCo contactless specifications.

“Majority of Filipinos with bank accounts already have EMVCo cards ( debit/credit cards) which they can conveniently and securely use, not just for purchasing goods, but also for commuting,” the DOTr said.

“This capability is already implemented in other transit systems abroad such as in Bangkok and Singapore,” it said.

In October last year, the DOTr and Land Bank of the Philippines signed a memorandum of agreement to conduct a pilot production test for the EMVCo contactless payment media.

The DOTr said an initial activity of the pilot production test is the conduct of a demonstration last Dec. 18, wherein the functions of the validator/transit readers accepting and processing EMVCo contactless payment fare media in three public utility vehicle routes were showcased.

“The use of this technology in the transit system expands the fare media the public can use,” the agency said.

“It also promises a more secure payment system, improved passenger convenience, and helps lessen card-issue and management costs for transit operators,” it said.

To provide convenient payment options to the riding public, the DOTR said it is gearing toward a nationwide interoperable AFCS for all transport modes.

In line with the fight against the pandemic, agencies under the DOTr have been introducing technology-based and data-driven innovations in the conduct of processes to decrease face-to-face transactions, reduce processing time, provide more efficient and quality service.

These include the shift to electronic and contactless payment systems such as AFCS and RFID tags in tollways, online processing of transactions, and electronic booking and ticketing, among others.