Late last year, the Banco Sentral ng Pilipinas issued a new version of the P5 coin. In light of this, AF Payments, Inc. (AFPI), the company that introduced the Beep Card and the self-service Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) systems in LRT1, LRT2, and MRT, has started the process of calibrating the said machines to accept the new P5 coin.
Of note, AFPI is in ties with a reputable German-based company that supplies the TVMs. It said that with unforeseen causes of delay taken into consideration, the TVMs in elevated railways of the LRT1, LRT2, and MRT3 mass-transport systems will be able to accept the new P5 coin by March this year.
For now though, AFPI is strongly advising the commuting public to take extra care when using the TVMs. To avoid confusion and inconveniences, it’s better to double-check the P5 coins before inserting them into the machines. The photos below illustrate the differences between the old and new P5 coins, as well as the P1 coin.