The government is reminding residents to use up any cash left from the third round of its e-consumption benefits scheme by February 28, as the amount not used by the deadline would be returned to the public coffers, the Macau Monetary Authority (AMCM) and the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) said in a joint statement yesterday.
The e-consumption benefits scheme, consisting of a start-up fund of 5,000 patacas and a discount grant of 3,000 patacas on resident’s e-consumption smartcards or electronic devices, is slated to end on February 28.
For those who have signed up for but still not used the benefits through online payment, an 8,000-pataca subsidy, officially known as the Living Subsidy – aiming to lessen the adverse impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on the local economy resulting from Macau’s COVID-19 outbreak that began on June 18 and started to subside in late July last year – will be automatically topped up on mobile payment platform accounts or e-consumption cards from March 2, which can be used until June 30, the statement said.
The 8,000-pataca amount, which is a one-off subsidy that is no longer divided into the two segments of a start-up fund and immediate discount grant, can only be received after the e-consumption funds are used up by February 28, while those who haven’t spent them, can receive the 8,000 patacas from March 2.
The statement noted that residents do not need to register again to receive the 8,000-patacas because the subsidy will be distributed through the same method when they signed up to receive the e-consumption benefits, i.e., through their mobile payment platform account or e-consumption card.
As for those who have signed up to receive the benefits through their e-consumption cards, in order to receive the new 8,000-patacas subsidy before February 28, according to the statement, residents must either use up the remaining credit within the period or ensure that the balance on the card is 10 patacas or less in order to top up the new round of benefits.
The balance of one’s e-consumption card can be checked on the official website of Macau Pass at https://etc.macaupay.com.mo/Ml-Pt/realname_pc/#/cardInqSp.
The statement noted that the last day to receive the 8,000-pataca subsidy is April 28. The maximum amount that can be spent daily using the scheme is 300 patacas.
Anyone who has questions about the e-consumption benefits scheme or the Living Subsidy Scheme, may find more information on the respective schemes’ official websites at https://www.dsedt.gov.mo/econsumo or https://www.dsedt.gov.mo/subsidy, or call the bureau on 2856 5080 or 2856 5088 during office hours.
This infographic provided by the Macau Monetary Authority (AMCM) and the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) yesterday shows information regarding the deadline of the government’s third round of e-consumption benefits.
