The Finance Services Bureau (DSF) said in a statement yesterday that three groups of people who are eligible for a 10,000-pataca subsidy will receive the money starting from November 26.
According to the statement, the measure hands out the subsidy to three groups of people – low-income local staff members, the self-employed, and business operators who are facing difficulties. The statement underlined that the subsidy can only be received once.
The statement noted that for local staff who had an income lower than 144,000 patacas last year will receive a 10,000 patacas subsidy, stressing that those who had resigned, were laid off, put on part-time or unpaid leave in 2020 will also benefit from the measure.
Employees who are not registered on the system can apply for the subsidy by providing evidence showing that they worked for a company in 2020. They can also receive the subsidy after the bureau approved the application. The statement underlined that the application must be handed in by December 15, along with their proof of income and employment contract.
Those who are self-employed, such as taxi drivers, street venders, tour guides, fisherfolk and “water taxi drivers” *, are eligible for the 10,000-pataca subsidy as well, the statement added. The other group, according to the statement, are people who have declared their status of self-employment on their tax form and have reported zero profit in 2020 can at least receive 10,000 patacas per person and up to 200,000 patacas under certain conditions.
According to the statement, business operators who are facing financial difficulties are also eligible for the 10,000 pataca subsidy. The statement noted that business owners who reported zero profit can be eligible for a subsidy of at least 10,000 patacas and up to 200,000 patacas.
However, the statement pointed out that some industries, such as gaming, finance and insurance as well as public utilities are not included in the subsidy plan.
Meanwhile, the statement said that the beneficiaries will not need to register their information as the government will transfer the subsidies directly to the eligible residents’ bank accounts used for the government’s annual cash handout.
The bureau said that in order to ease residents’ financial burden as soon as possible, it aims to give out all the subsidies within four working days.
Meanwhile, the statement also said that the bureau is launching a new “simple search system” today, while an “elaborate search system” will be launched next Tuesday for residents to look up information about the bureau’s services.
*Water taxis in Macau are motorised sampans normally used to transport local fisherfolk, as well as flower vendors from Zhuhai’s Wanzai, in the Inner Harbour. The peninsula has two sampan piers – both in the Inner Harbour – one near Praça de Ponte e Horta and the other next to the Ponte 16 casino-hotel.
