DOTr launches cashless payment option in EDSA Carousel

By Nash Villena, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
December 17, 2025

CASHLESS. The Department of Transportation, in partnership with e-wallet GCash, launched the cashless payment method in EDSA Carousel on Wednesday (Dec. 17, 2025). (Photo Courtesy: Department of Transportation – Philippines/Facebook)

PARAÑAQUE CITY — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday launched the cashless payment option for EDSA Carousel passengers, easing daily transactions and commuting experience.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the measure, in partnership with e-wallet company GCash, was in accordance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide convenience to passengers and encourage Filipinos to opt for public transportation.

“Ito pong cashless payment ay isang malaking pamamaraan upang sa ganoon masasabi natin na indeed the travel of our commuters is now more convenient,” Lopez said.

(This cashless payment method is a massive step to ensure that, indeed, the travel of our commuters is now more convenient.)

He assured the public that there will still be a 20 percent discount for students, persons with disability (PWDs), and senior citizens, should members of these sectors utilize the cashless payment method.

“Hindi lang po ang pagmomodernize ng ating mga infrastructure ang kailangan. Hindi lang po ang pagmomodernize ng ating mga pampublikong sasakyan ang kailangan,” Lopez said.

(We do not only need to modernize our infrastructures. We do not only need to modernize our public transport vehicles.)

“Higit sa lahat [kailangan] ang pag modernize ng sinasabi nating public service o passenger overall experience at ito ang binibigay ng GCash at ito rin ang binibigay talaga ng consortium sa busway.”

(Above all, we need to modernize our public service or the passenger’s overall experience, and it is what GCash and the consortium are offering to the EDSA busway.)

Through this new method, passengers would only need to scan the QR code at the conductor’s SoundPay device and provide their travel fares.

DOTr reported there are currently 260 busway units with GCash SoundPay devices, and it would only take a year before the cashless transaction is fully implemented over the entire EDSA Busway.