Military and police personnel distribute packages containing essential daily items from HCM City’s welfare centre to people in District 3, who are unable to shop for themselves due to the stay-at-home order. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ

HCM CITY — HCM City plans a third COVID-19 relief package worth around VNĐ10 trillion (US$438.5 million) after September 15 for workers who have lost their jobs, had incomes reduced, have no stable incomes, or face other difficulties.

Võ Văn Hoan, deputy chairman of its People’s Committee, said at a recent meeting that both permanent and temporary residents would benefit and regardless of occupation.

Relatives of workers who have lost their jobs (including fathers, mothers, wives, husbands, and children), elderly people, housewives, those who are unable to work or live alone would also be considered for support, he promised.

Temporary residents must be living in the city to benefit, and those who have returned to their hometowns or live elsewhere would not, he added.

The people's committees of all 21 districts and Thủ Đức City have been instructed to quickly make a list of beneficiaries and detailed plans for providing the relief, and publicise them in the city’s social security management system.

Priority will be given to blue-collar workers living in rented accommodation.

According to the city Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, there are 53,000 poor and near-poor households with 170,000 people in the city, and the number of people with no or reduced incomes has also risen significantly, and so the package would be enlarged to include these people.

The city has disbursed nearly VNĐ6.5 trillion ($285 million) through the two earlier support packages in cash and kind, including more than 14,000 tonnes of rice and 1.8 million packages containing rice, instant noodles, cooking oil, fish sauce, salt, sugar, and face masks, to people in need of support.

The city has decided to extend social distancing under Directive No 16 until the end of this month. — VNS