In the context of economic recovery still facing challenges that affect people's lives, especially workers, Ho Chi Minh City will allocate over VND908 billion from its budget to care for residents during the 2025 Tet holiday, an increase of VND47 billion compared to 2024, with the motto of “Tet for everyone, no one left behind.”
According to Mr. Le Van Thinh, Director of the HCMC Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, the city values the contributions of previous generations and those currently working and contributing to its development. Every year, as Tet approaches, the city organizes various activities to care for residents, particularly those with meritorious service, revolutionary veterans, and low-income workers.
For Tet 2025, HCMC will host memorial services at martyr cemeteries and pay tribute to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and fallen soldiers. Meetings will also be held to honor revolutionary veterans, intellectuals, and outstanding policy families. In addition, city leaders will form 43 delegations to visit and present Tet gifts to 271 units on duty during the holiday and 168 outstanding families across districts, including Thu Duc City.
HCMC will allocate over VND908 billion from its budget to care for residents during the 2025 Tet holiday, an increase of VND47 billion compared to 2024. The budget will be used to provide Tet gifts for policy beneficiaries, the poor, social protection beneficiaries, the elderly, and disadvantaged orphans. The additional funds will specifically support individuals with meritorious service, retirees, social protection beneficiaries, and increase aid for neighborhoods and hamlets across districts and towns.
Mobilizing social resources for Tet support
Alongside the city’s budget, Mr. Le Van Thinh emphasized the essential role of social organizations and unions in supporting those in need. With the goal “Tet for everyone, no one left behind,” associations, unions, and socio-political organizations are mobilizing resources to assist the underprivileged and workers.
The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee in HCMC plans to support over 17,000 near-poor households with VND1 million per household, funded through the city’s “For the Poor” Fund. Trade unions are also organizing Tet programs for workers, with an estimated budget of over VND550 billion.
In addition, the HCMC Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs is working with the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies- HCMC branch and local authorities to provide preferential loans to low-income households. This support will help families invest in small businesses, farming, and production activities to increase income and stabilize their lives during Tet.
Ensuring workers' rights during Tet
To protect workers' rights, the HCMC Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has been closely monitoring wages and bonuses in the lead-up to the 2025 Lunar New Year. Since November, the department has implemented plans to supervise salary payments, Tet bonuses, and labor relations across businesses in HCMC.
In collaboration with the HCMC Labor Federation and local authorities, the HCMC Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs is urging businesses to announce salary, bonus, and Tet support plans early. These plans must align with labor contracts, collective labor agreements, and company regulations to ensure timely and accurate payment.
Two direct inspection teams will survey 20 businesses, prioritizing those facing difficulties with Tet payments, labor cuts, or risks of wage and bonus arrears. The teams will also assess enterprises with previous disputes, collective labor conflicts, or strikes in 2024. Additionally, surveys will be conducted to gather information on wage payments in 2024 and planned Tet bonuses for 2025.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Do, Head of the Policy and Law Department at HCMC Labor Federation, said the trade union is expanding Tet support programs for 2025 with increased funding and a broader range of beneficiaries. This year, support will focus not only on workers in difficult circumstances but also on those with outstanding achievements and informal union members.
He noted that the level of support has risen significantly compared to last year. For example, the Tet Sum Vay (Tet Reunion) program offers gifts worth VND1.8 million, while the compassionate market program provides shopping vouchers of VND1 million. Activities are organized at the grassroots level for easier access, including programs to assist workers returning to their hometowns through free train and flight tickets.
Additionally, recreational events for 10,000 worker families will take place, such as visits to Suoi Tien Cultural Tourism Park and the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien Metro project. For informal union members, funds are being mobilized to arrange transportation for 100 families to return home for Tet.
Businesses maintain efforts to support workers
Mr. Le Van Thinh noted that despite ongoing global economic challenges such as geopolitical tensions, inflation, and trade instability, most businesses in HCMC remain committed to ensuring Tet support for their workers. Many companies have developed plans for salary payments, bonuses, and Tet gifts. In collaboration with unions and local authorities, businesses are also organizing activities like Tet gift distributions, transportation for workers returning home for the holiday, and arrangements to help workers return to work post-Tet.
While challenges persist, these combined efforts reflect HCMC’s determination to ensure a warm, meaningful Tet for all residents, particularly those in difficult circumstances.
Some Tet 2025 support details compared to 2024:
- Policy beneficiaries: 325,448 gifts with funding over VND423.7 billion, an increase of 15,420 recipients and more than VND20 billion.
- Poor households: 8,575 gifts with funding over VND10.7 billion, a decrease of 12,413 households and approximately VND15.5 billion.
- Social protection beneficiaries: 148,215 gifts with funding over VND170.4 billion, an increase of 9,174 recipients and more than VND10.5 billion.
- The elderly without pensions or monthly social insurance/social allowances: 4,931 gifts with funding over VND5.6 billion, an increase of 2,343 people and nearly VND2.7 billion.
- Children in extremely difficult circumstances: 7,542 gifts with funding over VND8.6 billion, an increase of 568 children and over VND653 million.
- Gifts for officials, public servants, and employees in administrative and non-business sectors: 130,952 gifts with funding over VND235.7 billion, an increase of 5,483 people and more than VND9.8 billion.
- Gifts for 4,829 neighborhoods and hamlets: Funding over VND24.1 billion, an increase of 2,827 neighborhoods and hamlets and over VND14.1 billion.
