The government said Monday that its annual subsidy paid to the city’s senior citizens aged at least 65 will increase from 6,000 to 6,600 patacas this year, a 10 percent increase from last year.
The government made the announcement in the Official Gazette (BO). The payment of the adjusted old-age subsidy took effect Monday.
To show the general public that it is looking after the city’s senior citizens and advocating the merits of respecting the elderly, the government started paying the elderly an annual “subsidy for senior citizens” in 2005.
According to the regulations cited by The Macau Post Daily, only Macau permanent residents aged at least 65 can apply to the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) for the subsidy.
In 2006 the subsidy amounted to just 1,500 patacas. It was increased to 1,800 patacas in 2007. However, in 2009 it jumped to 5,000 patacas per year, while last year it stood at 6,000 patacas.
According to official statistics, senior citizens aged 65 or over accounted for 7.7 percent of the population last year.(macaunews)
