In a move to mitigate the effects of rising oil prices, the government yesterday presented a three-month fossil fuel subsidy for specific consumers and announced that it would expand subsidies if prices rose to US$130 per barrel or more.
The government set a benchmark of US$118 per barrel, or NT$30.4 per liter for diesel and NT$33.1 per liter for 95-octane unleaded gasoline, for the subsidy plan.
TAXI BREAKS
Starting on Sunday, taxi drivers will receive a subsidy for a price differential against the benchmark on 95-octane unleaded gasoline up to NT$3 per liter, with a maximum of 100 liters per week.
Operators of city buses, coaches and passenger ships serving outlying islands will be entitled to a subsidy on the price differential against the benchmark set for diesel fuel.
Public transit service providers for persons with physical disabilities will receive a subsidy of up to NT$5 per liter, with a maximum of 825 liters per month, if fuel prices surge beyond benchmark levels.
Highway cargo transporters and tour bus operators will be entitled to a 25 percent exemption on fuel costs, to be collected in June, resulting in losses of NT$137.5 million (US$ 4.792 million) in tax revenues.
The government will also offer various subsidies for fishermen and farmers on fuel for fishing vessels and agricultural machinery.
POSSIBLE EXTENSION
At a press conference after the Cabinet meeting where the proposal was approved, Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Sheng-chung (林聖忠) said the government would review the possibility of extending the subsidy by another three months.
Starting in December, the government adopted a “gradual rise” price mechanism whereby state-owned CPC Corp, Taiwan, must absorb half of the increase in fuel prices, with consumers shouldering the other half.
“If oil prices approach US$130 per barrel, we will consider absorbing two-thirds of the price and consumers one-third,” Lin said.
Costa Rica sent a group of intelligence officials to Taiwan for a short-term training program, the first time the Central American country has done so since the countries ended official diplomatic relations in 2007, a Costa Rican media outlet reported last week. Five officials from the Costa Rican Directorate of Intelligence and Security last month spent 23 days in Taipei undergoing a series of training sessions focused on national security, La Nacion reported on Friday, quoting unnamed sources. The Costa Rican government has not confirmed the report. The Chinese embassy in Costa Rica protested the news, saying in a statement issued the same
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
CASE: Prosecutors have requested heavy sentences, citing a lack of remorse and the defendants’ role in ‘undermining the country’s democratic foundations’ Five people affiliated with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), including senior staff from the party’s Taipei branch, were indicted yesterday for allegedly forging thousands of signatures to recall two Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers. Those indicted include KMT Taipei chapter director Huang Lu Chin-ru (黃呂錦茹), secretary-general Chu Wen-ching (初文卿) and secretary Yao Fu-wen (姚富文), the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said in a news release. Prosecutors said the three were responsible for fabricating 5,211 signature forms — 2,537 related to the recall of DPP Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) and 2,674 for DPP Legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) — with forged entries accounting for
RSS