Passengers on the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) can now enjoy a faster, more seamless commute as the rail line officially launched its contactless digital payment system today.
Following directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to digitalize the country’s public transport, the new initiative allows commuters to pay their fares using Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards, NFC-enabled mobile and wearable devices, and digital wallets.
The cashless system is a collaborative milestone achieved through the joint efforts of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). It marks the government’s latest step in modernizing public transit, building on the successful rollout of cashless payments on the MRT-3 in 2025.
Transportation Secretary Banoy Lopez highlighted how the new system will drastically reduce travel time by allowing passengers to bypass traditional ticketing ticket booths.
“Malaking bagay ito sa mga pasahero natin sa linya sa LRT-2 lalo na sa mga estudyante ngayong pasukan. Mas madali na ang pag-commute dahil mayroon na tayong digital payment system. Alam naman natin na ang dinaraanan ng LRT-2 ay University Belt kaya convenient ito lalo na sa mga pasahero nating estudyante,” Secretary Lopez said.
The integration of EMV contactless bank cards, wearable devices, and features like the GCash Commute QR into the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) aims to solve long-standing infrastructure hurdles.
According to Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, diversifying payment options will reduce reliance on traditional stored-value cards and eliminate supply chain vulnerabilities.
“At ang ginagawa po natin ngayong araw na ito, ay ang magdagdag ng pagpipilian. To give more choices to our commuters for LRT-2. At nang sa ganoon, yung mga nangyari po sa nakaraan na nauubusan po tayo ng cards, nauubusan po tayo ng chips, ay hindi na po mangyayari ulit. Goodbye card shortage, isa po yan sa mga pangako ng proof-of-concept na ito,” Usec. Batan stated.
Furthermore, Usec. Batan noted that the digital system will provide the government with real-time travel data. This analytics capability will enable the DOTr to dynamically adjust train schedules, optimize routes, and make highly informed decisions regarding future rail investments.
To use the system, commuters simply need to tap their preferred digital payment method at the dedicated RCBC fare gates upon entry and tap out at the RCBC-enabled exit gates.
To celebrate the launch, Finance Secretary Frederick Go announced an exclusive PISO Fare Cashback Promo running from July 13 to July 31, 2026. Under this promo:
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Commuters using their MySSS Card Powered by RCBC DiskarTech will pay just ₱1 for qualified LRT-2 rides.
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Standard fare amounts exceeding ₱1 will be credited back to the user’s account within three banking days.
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The promo is valid for up to eight rides per day. “Utos po ito ng Pangulo na maghanap kami ng paraan na mapadali, mapamura, at mapaginhawa ang buhay ng ating mga mamamayan. Kung meron kayong SSS card, mabilis gamitin at mas importante dyan ay piso fare for the next two weeks kapag ginamit ninyo ‘to,” Sec. Go added.
Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda underscored that the project is a testament to effective inter-agency and public-private collaboration. “This is a whole-of-government approach from DOTr to SSS, PPP Center, to everybody who participated to the event, and BSP, to the private sector po,” Sec. Aguda said.
The landmark launch was attended by key leaders and stakeholders, including LRTA Administrator Hernando Cabrera, Turkish Ambassador HE Niyazi Evren Akyol, BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan, LANDBANK President and CEO Ma. Lynette Ortiz, SSS President and CEO Robert Joseph de Claro, PPPC Executive Director Rizza Blanco-Latorre, and RCBC President and CEO Reginaldo Anthony Cariaso, alongside industry partners from Visa Philippines, Mastercard, GCash, and Google Pay.
