The collection process for government-issued consumption subsidy smartcards kicked off yesterday, and by 6 p.m. over 25,000 residents had collected their cards. The process was carried out in a “good order”, the Macau Monetary Authority (AMCM) and Economic Services Bureau (DSE) said in a joint statement on Tuesday.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, some registered residents would not be able to make their way back to Macau this month, the statement pointed out. Consequently, the government decided to extend the collection period to July 17, rather than the initial April 30 deadline.
For the sake of individual health and quarantine measures being implemented during the pandemic, the government urged registrants to collect their smartcards as per their registered time and venue, in order to avoid crowds forming at the collection points.
Registrants who need to collect their cards after April will still be able to get them from the Economic Service Bureau in Rua do Doutor Pedro José Lobo; the Macau Monetary Authority in Avenida de Sidónio Pais, and the Government Service Centres in Areia Preta and Taipa, respectively.
Currently, residents can pick up their cards at 149 pickup points – at public administration premises and local bank branches.
The first round of spending of the consumption subsidy smartcard between May 1 and July 31 remains unchanged, the statement said.
According to the statement, any remaining value on the 3,000-pataca smartcard will be returned to the public coffers after July 31.
According to previous government statements, registrants will have to present their ID card when picking up their card.
In addition, according to previous government statements, people picking up the card on behalf of their family members or caregivers collecting it for their service users have to present their own ID card as well as the ID card of the person they are picking up the smartcard for, in addition to a signed letter of authorisation, which can be downloaded from the AMCM website.
According to recent government statements, over 658,000 residents have registered for the smartcard. Both permanent and non-permanent residents are entitled to sign up for the scheme, including those who currently do not live in Macau.
Macau’s around 190,000 non-resident workers have not been included in the consumption subsidy scheme.
The second phase of the consumption subsidy smartcard scheme will run between August and December. There will be a 5,000-pataca top-up for the second phase. The holders’ same smartcards will be used for both phases. The cards are transferable.
(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)
