Read the billing period first
A small monthly amount and a larger annual amount are not directly comparable. BPI’s credit card terms (opens in a new tab) allow membership fees to be billed monthly, annually, or otherwise depending on the card. Its fee schedule (opens in a new tab) states the billing period alongside each card.
For a simple comparison, put recurring fees on the same time basis. A fictional PHP 150 monthly membership fee would total PHP 1,800 over twelve charged months. This calculation is an illustration, not a listed fee for any card. Check when charging begins and whether a waiver changes the number of billed months.
A waiver needs its conditions
Distinguish a first-year waiver from an ongoing waiver. Read the issuer’s wording about qualifying spending, deadlines, registration, and which cardholder receives the benefit. Keep the regular fee in your comparison unless the source clearly establishes that your waiver applies.
Membership is only one cost
BPI’s fee schedule lists membership fees separately from finance charges, cash advance fees, transaction charges, and other fees. A membership-fee waiver does not by itself establish that using the card has no other cost.
On a Waismo card page, the listed membership fee is a catalog reference. Open the official source, check its current amount and billing frequency, and confirm uncertain conditions with the issuer. Do not interpret a missing fee as zero.