Executive Yuan spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka on Sunday defended welfare and benefits programs introduced by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government, saying that the unveiling of the policies was not meant to boost the party’s support ahead of next year’s general elections.
“These issues have been on this government’s mind and it acted, whereas the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) failed in the [most recent] eight years it was in power,” Kolas said. “Despite KMT Chairman Wu Den-yih’s (吳敦義) accusations of wasteful spending, this government is running a balanced budget, an achievement that eluded the previous KMT administration.”
“This government is introducing good policies without incurring new debt. Instead of making wild allegations about the government, the KMT should examine its own inadequacies,” she said.
Photo: Lee Hsin-fang, Taipei Times
Premier Su Tseng-chang’s (蘇貞昌) proposal to extend the High-Speed Rail to Pingtung County has gained bipartisan support and the route will be selected from four proposals after Ministry of Transportation and Communications experts have examined them, she said.
Extending the High-Speed Rail would benefit Taiwan’s overall economy and boost the county’s tourism sector, she said.
In response to China cutting permits for independent tourists to Taiwan, the Cabinet is to subsidize domestic tourism through the autumn and winter, which would diversify the tourism industry, encourage it to adapt to higher-spending consumers and stimulate domestic demand, she said.
The government’s single youth and child-rearing family subsidies are to address economic stress on average Taiwanese and the falling birthrate, she said.
Regarding an increased subsidy for aging farmers, Kolas said the program’s rules say it is to be adjusted according to economic factors and its announcement had nothing to do with the elections.
President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) long-term care subsidies and the tax-deductibles are forward-looking policies that are sustainable, Kolas said.
A source from the DPP election campaign team said that the Cabinet’s policies have helped its electoral efforts and people have generally reported that they tangibly eased their livelihoods.
Separately on Sunday, Tsai said that the government will boost subsidies for care of elderly people and expand the budget for the Long-Term Care 2.0 initiative.
Tsai made the remarks during a tour of temples and churches in Kaohsiung.
People in long-term care facilities would receive up to NT$60,000 (US$1,935.36) per year under a program designed to support 50,000 elderly people, with priority awarded to economically disadvantaged families, Tsai said at the Blessed and Blessing Church.
The government is to establish more long-term care service providers throughout Taiwan, she said, adding that it is focused on encouraging fair pricing and equal access.
Tsai said she plans to increase the government’s long-term care budget to NT$40 billion, an eightfold increase over the former administration’s spending.
Despite that, “the government’s budget for next year will be the first balanced budget in 22 years, without any new debt,” she said.
Additional reporting by Fang Chih-hsien
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