The third round of Macao’s e-consumption benefits scheme ends on 28 February, so residents have just two weeks left to use up any remaining credit.
Any amount not used by the deadline will be returned to the public coffers, the Macao Monetary Authority and the Economic and Technological Development Bureau have warned.
The e-consumption benefits scheme, consisting of a start-up fund of MOP 5,000 and a discount grant of MOP 3,000 on resident’s e-consumption smartcards or electronic devices, is slated to end on 28 February.
However, for those who have signed up for but still not used the benefits through online payment, a MOP 8,000 subsidy, officially known as the Living Subsidy – aiming to lessen the adverse impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on the local economy resulting from the last summer’s Covid-19 outbreak – will be automatically topped up on mobile payment platform accounts or e-consumption cards from 2 March. This can be used until 30 June.
The MOP 8,000 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 28 February, while those who haven’t spent them, can receive the MOP 8,000 from 2 March.
Residents do not need to register again to receive the MOP 8,000 because the subsidy will be distributed through the same method when they signed up to receive the e-consumption benefits, that is 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 MOP 8,000 subsidy before 28 February, residents must either use up the remaining credit within the period or ensure that the balance on the card is MOP 10 or less in order to top up the new round of benefits.
The last day to receive the MOP 8,000 subsidy is 28 April. The maximum amount that can be spent daily using the scheme is MOP 300.
