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| Many retailers in World Wide Plaza in Central have applied for the $80k cash assistance |
Retail shops that sell goods for personal or household
consumption started receiving today, Apr 9, their direct cash subsidy of up to
$80,000 from the government.
Those who intend to apply for the financial aid, given to
those struggling to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic, have only until
Sunday, Apr 12, to do so. The vetting of applicants is expected to be completed
within May.
Separately, those in the restaurant and food business may
apply for a one-off cash assistance of between $80,000 and $200,000 from an
anti-epidemic fund administered by the Food and Environmental Hygiene
Department.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye! |
Among those who have applied for the retail subsidy is Joy
Tan, who operates a Philippine products and general merchandise store in World Wide
Plaza
Tan, along with many shop owners in the mall, have been hit
hard, not just by the contagion, but also by the violent protests that wracked
the city in the second half of last year, forcing customers to stay away from
several hotspots, including Central.
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| Joy Tan hopes her $80k cash subsidy will come soon |
Tan hopes to get the maximum cash assistance of $80,000 from
the government. She says she has been given a reference number for her
application, but has yet to receive the money.
Another applicant is longtime entrepreneur Ramaliel Soabas,
better known as Mang Ambo, which is also the name of his iconic food outlet in
World Wide.
But Soabas says he was turned down for the retail subsidy because
he has already received $80k for his food factory in Kennedy Town
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He had hoped to get separate cash assistance for each of his
businesses as he pays separate rents for them, and both are cutting deep into
what’s left of his income.
He says the $80,000 given him by FEHD is just enough to
cover three months of back rental for his World Wide shop.
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| Mang Ambo got $80k from FEHD, but not for his tiny shop in WWide for which he pays more than $20k monthly rent |
Both Tan and Soabas say many other shop owners in World Wide
Plaza
According to a press release from the government, more than 79,000
applications have been received since the retail subsidy scheme opened on March
23.
The disbursement of the subsidy to approved applicants is
being done through bank transfer.
As for the FEHD-run scheme, the application started on Mar 5
and will end on May 4 at 5 pm.
Under this scheme, a one-off subsidy of $200,000 will be
given to license holders of restaurants and factory canteens. Those who operate
light refreshment restaurants, fresh provision shops, food factories, bakeries
and dim sum shops, will get $80,000 each
Even licensed hawkers are entitled to relief of $5,000 each
from the scheme.
About 5,500 licensed hawkers are expected to benefit, along
with 28,000 food license holders.
Those who wish to apply for the FEHD-run funding scheme may
check this website: https://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/events/Anti-epidemic_Fund/index.html
For the details of the retail subsidy scheme, click on this
link: https://www.retailsubsidy.gov.hk/en/,
or call 1836 111.
