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HCM CITY — Fifteen banks and a finance company have donated VNĐ140 billion (US$8.5 million) to support the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and help people suffering from drought and saltwater intrusion in rivers around the country.

The money was handed over at a ceremony held at the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front in Hà Nội on March 17 in the presence of Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, ministers, heads of government agencies, and the State Bank of Việt Nam chief.

This was in response to Phúc’s plea to all citizens to donate to the Covid-19 control efforts.

Twelve banks, BIDV, Vietcombank, VietinBank, Agribank, MB, Techcombank, HDBank, VPBank, Sacombank, MSB, VIB, and ACB, donated VNĐ10 billion ($610,335) each, and three others, SeABank, Bắc Á and TPBank, and the finance company donated VNĐ5 billion each.

Since the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam issued Document No. 541 / NHNN-TD on measures to support businesses in overcoming the adverse impacts of the pandemic, HDBank has been actively supporting its customers.

It announced a support package of VNĐ5 trillion ($306.06 million) at an interest rate of just 6.5 per cent for small and medium-sized enterprises.

It has also set aside VNĐ3 trillion to support enterprises that supply drugs and medical equipment to enable them to meet demand and stabilise prices.  As part of this, besides providing loans at preferential rates, the bank has also cut the fees for international payments, using domestic current accounts and issuing guarantees by 50-100 per cent.

It also has a VNĐ1 trillion package to support the Lộc Trời agricultural supply chain to ensure production and supply of rice to the country and help businesses facing difficulties due to saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta.

Besides, the bank offers preferential credit to customers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic throughout the country at interest rates that are 2-4.5 per cent lower than normal.

It plans to set aside VNĐ10 trillion to lend to producers and corporates who supply goods and services to supermarkets such as Saigon Co.op and Masan at interest rates starting at 6.5 per cent per year.

It has bought Corona Guard insurance for its employees.

At its transaction office nation-wide, all employees wear face masks and wash hands, and the workplace is regularly disinfected. Customers are provided free face masks and hand sanitisers.

This year 2020 HDBank has donated health insurance cards to thousands of people in the Mekong Delta, which is facing difficulties from drought and salinity and lack of sanitation.

For years, around the country but especially in the Mekong Delta, the lender has built bridges and roads, given scholarships to disadvantaged students, funded eye surgeries for hundreds of poor people, and donated insurance cards to more than 25,000 poor people throughout its "Wings of love" programme that seeks to share community responsibility. — VNS