Ako Bicol party-list representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. called on Monday, October 5, for the “full-scale investigation” of beep card provider AF Payments after it refused to waive the P80 cost of the card to bus commuters.
In a statement, Garbin said AF Payments has shown “heartless” corporate citizenship.
“I therefore ask the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to investigate AF Payments Inc. following its refusal to waive the cost of beep cards. This complete disregard of the economic plight of Filipino commuters is clear proof AF Payments Inc. does not deserve to be recognized as a corporate citizen of the Philippines,” he said.
The lawmaker said this “lack of compassion” is indicative of the company’s disregard for consumer protection laws and trade regulations.
“Provision of electronic payments services is a privilege with the matching regulatory permit from the BSP, our country’s foremost regulator of financial institutions,” Garbin said.
He also asked the city where the main offices of AF Payments is located to suspend, pending investigation, of all business permits and licenses issued to the company.
“I also ask the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Immigration to conduct their own reviews of AF Payments compliance with our tax laws and immigration laws,” Garbin stated.
