Government Cracks Down on Beep Cards Online Selling
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon has issued a stern warning against the unauthorized online selling of Beep cards. Officials reported that the government is closely monitoring platforms where Beep cards are being sold illegally, often at inflated prices far above the official cost.
“Beep cards online selling is prohibited,” Dizon emphasized during a recent briefing. He called on major e-commerce platforms such as Lazada and Shopee to immediately remove listings of Beep cards. Failure to comply, he said, will result in these platforms being held legally accountable. “If they don’t stop it, they will also be implicated in this. We’ll also sue them,” he added.
Authorities Target Syndicates Hoarding Beep Cards
Sources informed that syndicates have been buying Beep cards at stations and reselling them online for as much as P300, a tenfold increase from the original P30 price. Transportation officials, in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group and the Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT), are intensifying efforts to track and apprehend these groups.
“There are syndicates that are buying at the stations. We are coordinating with the PNP and our SAICT. We will watch every station to catch these idiots. We will catch them and put them in jail,” Dizon warned. He reiterated, “I’m telling you, when you get caught, you’ll go to jail. So if I were you, I wouldn’t do that anymore.”
Online Platforms Under Surveillance
Officials reported that besides Lazada and Shopee, other online platforms like TikTok and Facebook will also be scrutinized to prevent illegal Beep card sales. The PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group is actively working to take down online shops that violate the rules.
“We’re calling on all online selling sites to take down these unauthorized Beep card sellers immediately. Those who fail to do so will be held responsible and face legal consequences,” a government source said.
Additional Beep Cards to Address Shortage
To resolve the ongoing shortage of Beep cards, the Department of Transportation announced that 300,000 more regular cards will be distributed across the MRT-3, LRT-1, and LRT-2 lines. “Beep Card will be completing a delivery of 300,000 additional cards across MRT-3, LRT-1 and LRT-2. That is what we have computed as the shortage,” Dizon shared.
Officials expect that by next week, Beep card availability will normalize, ensuring commuters can easily purchase cards without resorting to unauthorized sellers.
For more news and updates on Beep cards online selling, visit Filipinokami.com.
