Insider Spotlight
After introducing the country’s first open-loop contactless system in MRT 3 last July, Visa is preparing to bring the same technology to Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2 within the year. The two train lines serve more than 500,000 daily riders.
The global payments firm and RCBC recently held an urban mobility workshop for local issuers, sharing global best practices for managing digital transit payments.
The move is part of a broader push to expand automated fare collection systems beyond rail to other transport modes.
Why it matters
Contactless payments are expected to boost ridership and streamline commuting. According to the Visa Economic Empowerment Institute, open-loop systems in public transit can increase ridership by up to 10 percent.
Across Asia-Pacific, 94 percent of riders expect contactless payments on their trips, and 45 percent say they would ride more if paying were easier.
What they’re saying
“We fully support the government’s vision of transforming everyday commuting experiences for the public, and making them efficient, hassle-free, and truly at par with transit services around the world. We hope to launch contactless payment systems in LRT 1 and 2 within the year,” Mylene Bico, chief commercial officer of RCBC Credit Cards, said in a press release on Oct. 16, 2025.
“Enabling commuters to use their cards and smartphones to pay is a step towards broadening digital and financial inclusion, which is a longstanding commitment that Visa shares with the government,” said Jeffrey Navarro, Visa Philippines country manager.
The big picture
Visa has more than 870 tap-to-ride transit projects globally, positioning the Philippines as an emerging leader in smart, sustainable urban infrastructure. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
