 |
| Filipino migrant workers in Central: many hope the HK govt would also give them cash relief |
The government’s announcement yesterday, Mar 3, that
non-permanent residents in financial need could get $10,000 from the Community
Care Fund, briefly raised hopes that foreign domestic workers could also
benefit from the cash relief bonanza.
Speaking on a radio show, Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Law Chi-kwong said the plan was to distribute cash to non-permanent residents
“with the intention of staying here permanently.”
He added: "There are two groups of beneficiaries: those
here on one-way permits and those here for family reunions, including ethnic
minorities, who have not satisfied the seven-year rule."
 |
| PRESS FOR MORE INFO |
Law’s statement came after Financial Secretary Paul Chan
Mo-po announced in his budget address on Wednesday that $10,000 will be given
to all permanent residents over 18 years of age.
His initial announcement which did not specify clearly who
the non-permanent residents to be given money from the Fund are, led to
speculation among the more than 400,000 foreign domestic workers here that they
could somehow benefit from the windfall.
But this hope was dashed when a government press release issued
afterwards quoted Law as saying that the non-permanent residents he was
referring to were “those who are coming here to live in Hong
Kong , rather than those who are in transit, such as those studying
or those who are imported labour.”
He added, “The primary purpose of those who will be covered
will be those coming here to Hong Kong to stay,
but unfortunately they may not have reached seven years to become permanent
residents.
 |
| Press here to get the App |
From this pronouncement, it would appear that Filipinos on
employment visas who have not been in Hong Kong
long enough to qualify for permanent residency, along with their dependants, could benefit from the second
tranche of cash giveaway.
Not qualified, apart from FDWs, are skilled workers whose
stay in Hong Kong are on per-contract basis,
and those holding student visas.
Law said the government was thinking of following the practice set in 2011, when non-permanent residents who were in financial difficulties were each given $6,000 – the same amount handed out to each adult permanent resident.
 |
| Secretary Law (left) with Consul General Raly Tejada (file photo) |
He said the fund will hold meetings later this month to work
on the details of the handout.
He noted that in 2011, the distribution from the fund took
six months longer than the government to start distribution. That means, the
cash distribution won’t take place until July this year at the earliest.
"In the current situation, many people have been
affected by the outbreak. The sectors suffering the most are retail, food and
beverages, travel, transport and logistics. That is around tens of thousands of
individuals and families. Lawyers and social workers are also affected. Being
affected by the outbreak has become a common phenomenon," Law said.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and
Progress of Hong Kong has announced that
it will distribute between $2,000 to $5,000 to unemployed families affected by
the coronavirus crisis.
The total value of the cash assistance is around $3 million,
to be distributed to around 600 to 1,500 families.
Residents can submit applications to the DAB from next week
until the end of the month.
---
I-try mo ito, Kabayan: Kung interesado kang ma-contact ang mga advertiser namin dito, pindutin lang ang kanilang ad, at lalabas ang auto-dialer o kanilang website. Pindutin ulit and auto diaoer upang tumawag. Hindi na kailangang pindutin isa-isa ang mga numero.
 |
