After thousands thronged a government office at the Megacentro mall, Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero went on TV on Friday evening to explain that the government is reaching out to the poor to deliver the promised RD$5,000 in cash for food supplies. The program has been named “Quedate en Casa.” Guerrero says that the Solidarity cards will be delivered to the beneficiaries and there is no need for these people to queue up at government offices to receive their cards. The Stay at Home program runs under the Solidaridad welfare programs that the Office of the Vice President handles. It allocates payments of RD$2,500 every 15 days to those identified in the state database as the most vulnerable to be used for food purchases in thousands of establishments around the country. Previously the government had allotted RD$1,500 a month for food assistance to 850,000. Guerrero explained that the number of families that will benefit is being increased to 1,500,000. He said the first 850,000 families have already received the first allotment.
Guerrero said the families will not need the Solidaridad card to receive the food assistance. He said the families will be notified by telephone call from the Unified System of Beneficiaries (SUIBEN). They will be able to show up at a food store affiliated to the Quedate en Casa program and will have a balance deposited to their name. They need only present their ID card as of Wednesday, 8 April 2020.
With regards to Employee Solidarity Assistance Fund (FASE), he explained that the program seeks to keep jobs. He said payments are scheduled for April and May. The government assistance to those registered in the Social Security Treasury (TSS). He explained it is not necessary to have been suspended from the job to opt for the program. But each company needs to do the registration online for the employee with the Ministry of Labor. The company needs to indicate the contact details of the employee, ID and bank account where the deposit would be made. He said the government will cover RD$5,000 in those cases where the employee has not been suspended, and up to RD$8,500 in cases where the employee has been suspended, in order for the company to keep the employee.
The Ministry of Labor estimates at around 250,000 the number of suspended employees, and estimates that this year around 750,000 persons could be suspended.
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Esta Noche con Mariasela — Donald Guerrero interview
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Diario Libre
Listin Diario
6 April 2020