LRTA can’t decide what to do with Estrada swipe cards

His face just won’t go away.

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) is mulling whether or not to let some P22.5 million worth of magnetic swipe cards bearing the face of deposed President Joseph Estrada go the way of the disgraced leader.

Enrico Garcia, LRTA officer-in-charge, said the agency has yet to decide whether or not it will use the new swipe cards now that the face on them is out of office.

Garcia also admitted that the LRTA had tried to erase the face of the former president from the cards but their magnetic strips were damaged in the process. "We tried to cover it but the cards clogged the turnstile reader," he said.

Garcia said the board still has to decide whether the Erap cards will be wasted.

"It will be determined by the board. So far, there is no decision yet. But it may not be appropriate to use these cards when President Arroyo inaugurates the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) that we’re planning to implement in May," he said.

Some 2.5 million swipe cards with Estrada’s face have been ordered from Digicom, a Japanese company, for P9 apiece before the leader was ousted in a popular revolt in January.

Garcia said that the LRTA has already ordered 2.5 million more cards to be used during the inauguration.

"Actually, we were really set to acquire more cards but because of the turn of events we ordered new cards. Initially these cards will be used. It’s up to the board to decide what to do with the Erap cards," he said.

The new cards will carry the printed logos of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the LRTA. – Sheila Crisostomo