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A one-time $ 3,000 grant to help parents amid the Covid-19 pandemic sparked a lively online debate among Straits Times Facebook users after it was announced on Friday.
Moms and dads of Singaporean children born from the first of this month to September 30, 2022 will receive the Baby Support Scholarship, in addition to the existing Baby Bonus cash gift that can go up to $ 10,000.
The amount will be deposited starting next April, or within the month following enrollment in the Baby Bonus program, whichever occurs later.
While the majority of ST Facebook users welcomed the news, many asked why the grant will be awarded only to those with babies born starting this month.
“Shouldn’t the Government deliver the package to the Singaporean families who had given birth since CB (circuit breaker) started? Why start only on October 1?” asked a user named Eliana Amin.
A netizen named PY started a petition on Friday on Change.org asking the government to extend the grant to all parents whose babies were born this year.
“Any parent with newborns during this pandemic would have faced some form of financial stress and inconvenience and would certainly benefit from this additional support. Furthermore, Covid-19 had started since early 2020. Therefore, it would only be fair if the La Grant was offered to all parents of newborns in 2020, “the petition reads.
More than 7,600 had signed it yesterday afternoon.
On the website, Kristyn Neo explained her reason for endorsing it: “I had a baby right at the peak of the Covid-19 situation in Singapore and paid more for services due to … shortages due to closure.”
The National Population and Talent Division (NPTD), which jointly administers the Baby Support Grant with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, said it understands that some parents who have missed the start date may feel disappointed in not being eligible.
“We would like to seek public understanding that specific start dates are needed for any new measures or improvements,” NPTD said Friday.
He added that children born before October 1 can still enjoy many benefits under the Marriage and Paternity Package.
Raising a baby in Singapore is expensive, with an estimate in 2018 that it would cost between a few hundred thousand dollars and more than half a million. That’s why any help should be welcome, other ST Facebook users argued.
Meng Tat Chang wrote: “All grants are (a) bonus. People think the government should pay people for babies. Babies are strictly for the joy of parenthood, and the grants are, by the way, bonuses. as (a) gesture of appreciation from the state. “
Zeus said, “Frankly, if you want to have a child, you have to be mentally prepared for the costs of raising a child. 3k will be helpful. No matter what period it is, there will always be complaints about why person misses this. It will not please to all “.
The Prime Minister’s Office Minister Indranee Rajah said on Friday that the government hopes the grant will be an additional boost that encourages couples not to delay their plans to marry and start a family.
Some wondered, however, if the amount would be enough to give that extra boost. Others felt that money was not the problem.
Valiant Revane said, “In reality, most young couples are not giving birth because they are not ready to sacrifice their lifestyle. Not so much (for) the cost.”
Bonus or no bonus, the deciding factor could be whether couples want to take on the long-term responsibilities of parenthood.
LY Lee said, “Young couples today are afraid of having children. It is not so much the cost of having children as raising them.”
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NOTABLE TRENDS
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CRUISES TO ANYWHERE: Starting next month, two cruise lines will offer these types of cruises from Singapore. They will have to follow a set of strict safety guidelines, but the horror stories of those affected by Covid-19 while on board cruise ships earlier this year were still fresh in the minds of Facebook users. Others are put off by the idea of getting a swab test a few days before boarding. ST’s Facebook user Nickie Woo commented, “I see so many people against the idea … Let’s see how fast cruise tickets will sell.”
BOON LAY KNIFE ATTACK: A man was left bleeding, with injuries to his face, after a teenager attacked him with a knife at a FairPrice supermarket in the Boon Lay Mall last Wednesday. An 18-year-old was charged on Friday for his alleged involvement: “Cutting in a supermarket? A lot of people are getting more brazen these days,” commented ST Facebook user Robert Ridzuandowski.
Keith Lim Wei Hoong wrote: “I had my first child 16 years ago and it is as difficult now as it was in the past. If you want a family, you will find a way.”
HALLOWEEN HORROR
It was one of those things we took for granted before Covid-19: having meaningless fun on Halloween, especially if the day fell on a Friday or Saturday. Many sought out haunted house experiences, went trick-or-treating, or got drunk on horror shows.
But in a year with real-life pandemic horrors, fun might be the last thing on some people’s minds. Making fun of Covid-19, in particular, is considered offensive by many.
Two weeks ago, Amazon said it would withdraw the coronavirus-themed Halloween masks from sale, after a British charity said they were “hugely disgusting.”
The masks, from a China-based online retailer, were designed to look like the coronavirus, when viewed under a microscope, with their characteristic beaks. Made of latex, they also featured crazy-looking eyes and ragged teeth.
In Singapore, the occasion will not be the same with a popular attraction, Halloween Horror Nights, which will not be held this year at Universal Studios, although other activities have been scheduled.
Events elsewhere will be muted, with an emphasis on safe distancing and other safety measures.
For those still planning to go out and celebrate in costume, the Oregon Health Authority in the United States tweeted this early reminder: “Be careful planning a costume that allows you to wear a face covering. #Halloween masks will not protect you. or others from #coronavirus. Consider wearing a Halloween-themed cloth mask instead. “
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