The government has paid 99% of wage subsidies for small businesses amid a coronavirus pandemic, with less than 100,000 beneficiaries given until June 28 to claim their payouts, according to the Department of Finance (DoF).
About 41,000 workers for the first tranche and 57,000 under the second one have yet to claim their cash aid and the cutoff date was extended from June 10 to the end of the month, the agency said in a statement on Friday.
“We are calling on these employees who were already notified to claim their subsidies from MLhullier Kwarta Padala to pick them up on or before June 28,” DoF said.
Unclaimed wage subsidies will go back to the state and used in the fight against COVId-19, Finance Assistant Secretary Antonio G. Lambino II said in the statement.
The government has released P45.6 billion in cash aid to about 3.1 million workers of small businesses that registered for the program.
The government allotted P51 billion for the program, which gave workers affected by the lockdown as much as P8,000 pesos a month for two months.
The Social Security System and Bureau of Internal Revenue were the main enforcers of the program.
Meanwhile, SSS wants to fast-track the release of retirement and death benefits by revising the list of required documents.
Basic requirements include the application form, a photo and signature card, savings account and a valid ID.
SSS offers death benefits to members’ dependents either in the form of monthly pension or a lump sum. The amount is based on the member’s paid contributions, years of service and number of dependents. — Beatrice M. Laforga
