AF Payments Inc., beep card operator, said Monday it tapped online stores to meet the growing demand for its stored value cards.

AFPI said the launch of its official Lazada, Shoppee and Facebook Marketplace online stores would ensure convenience to commuters.

It said that amid the shortage in cards for sale in various train stations, it was committed to making everyday transactions easier and safer for Filipinos.

“We have previously reallocated stocks to the rails and continuously work with our partners to address public demand for bee cards. At the same time, we also need to cater to customers who use our payment solution off-rails and, more importantly, address the increasing cases of fraud among unofficial online sellers, thus the launch of our stores in top e-commerce platforms Lazada, Shopee, and Facebook Marketplace,” said AFPI chief commercial officer Sharon Fong.

“We thank the public for understanding and bearing with us as we tirelessly work to resolve the issues surrounding the supply of beep™ cards and innovate further to find better solutions,” she said.

The company said beep cards sold at rail stations are “priced lower as they are subsidized by AFPI and the Philippine government under a signed concession agreement in 2016. “

“Commuters are therefore advised that since online stores and other non-rail sectors are not covered by the agreement, prices differ,” it said.

For the beeb official online stores (Lazada, Shopee, Facebook Marketplace), the SRP is P188, plus shipping fees. This gives commuters the convenience to purchase beep cards anytime, anywhere. The beep card is sold at P100 at rail stations.

AFPI is a consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp. that provides contactless payment solutions in the Philippines through its integrated product and service offerings, thereby enhancing the transaction experience of every Filipino.

Its tap-to-pay system, the beep card, is available for use in all three elevated railways (LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3), EDSA buses, P2P buses, and select PUVs, tollways, and retail partners. The beep card is reloadable and valid for four years.

Since its inception, beep has grown to offer a more robust automated payment collection system that accepts beep cards, QR tickets and QR mobile codes, empowering businesses to expand their operations with cashless and safer additional payment channels