MANILA, Philippines – Buses plying around Megaworld townships would starting using in May the same payment system as Metro Manila’s railways.

Beep cards would be used in buses in Eastwood City in Quezon City; Uptown Bonifacio and McKinley Hill in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig; and Newport City in Pasay.

Citylink Coach Services Inc. that operates buses under Megaworld’s Estate Management has entered into a partnership with AF Payments Inc. (AFPI) to use the same automated fare collection system on Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 and Metro Rail Transit Line 3.

AFPI, a consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp., bagged the P1.72 billion Automatic Fare Collection System project under the public private partnership program.

Through the partnership with AFPI, commuters can use the same Beep cards used on the country’s train systems when they ride Citylink buses.

“The primary objective of this cashless payment is to provide Filipino commuters a seamless and convenient traveling experience around Metro Manila. With one beep card, you can now embark on all Citylink buses and light rail transit routes. This is the country’s first and only unified automated fare collection system and we are encouraging other operators to join and do the same,” said Arnie Batac, head of estate management at Megaworld in a statement.

Before the end of May, 18 Citylink buses would be able to accept beep cards.

While the beep cards would be used on Citylink buses, Batac said the cash payment option would still be available to passengers until they could fully adapt to the new system.

To help facilitate the use of the automated fare collection system on Citylink buses, the concierge of Megaworld’s Lifestyle Malls would soon be able to serve beep card users for the reloading of cards.

In 2008, Megaworld’s Estate Management earmarked around P100 million to establish CityLink, a public transportation system for commuters in the various urban townships.

At present, there are 19 Citylink buses operating round-the-clock to serve around 200,000 business process outsourcing workers, residents and visitors of Megaworld townships.

Batac said an additional 19 buses would be made available this quarter to help improve transport and minimize the waiting time of commuters.

Megaworld is primarily engaged in the development of large-scale mixed-use planned communities, or community townships, that integrate residential, commercial, educational/training, leisure and entertainment components.