The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is launching a series of programs to help those in need over the Lunar New Year holiday.
For a start, it is offering financial aid to families in dire straits during the upcoming Lunar New Year.
"Upon a social worker's assessment, an average of NT$5,000 will be given out to a needy household to help family members to get out of financial difficulties," said Minister of the Interior Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全).
Between Sunday and Feb. 13, the MOI has set aside an emergency helpline: 049-2391-119, to handle cases of special needs. The helpline is available 24 hours a day.
All calls will be transferred to appropriate social welfare organizations or local governments to be taken care of.
According to Su, social workers will respond within 24 hours to a received call and personally visit individuals in need.
"Individuals may especially run into financial problems over the Lunar New Year. Some may have negative thoughts and turn to desperate measures. We hope, by lending a hand, the government may help them," Su said.
Unpredictable events such as traffic accidents and sudden illnesses among family members are examples of urgent situations.
In addition to this special financial assistance, the MOI is providing other social security and welfare services.
The department of social affairs has distributed special allowances ranging from NT$20,000 to NT$50,000 to hundreds of senior homes and centers for the disabled nationwide to enrich meals served over the festival. In total, NT$8 million has been dedicated to this project.
As a humanitarian effort, the same allowance has also been given to Chinglu Detention Centers (靖盧) in Hsinchu and Ilan, which shelter illegal Chinese immigrants who are waiting to be deported.
"The money has been given to them for better meals. However, a line needs to be drawn in this case. If we treat these illegal immigrants too well, then everyone will want to sneak into Taiwan," Su said.
Individuals who need to withdraw large cash amounts from banks for the Lunar New Year may seek escort services from local police forces.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS