Children under three from impoverished families will be exempted from national health insurance premiums from April 4 to coincide with the nation's Women's and Children's Day, Premier Frank Hsieh (
Noting that the new measure will benefit 24,000 children, Hsieh said it will be adopted in line with President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) earlier directive that the government assist low-income families with young children by excepting the children from health insurance payments.
The insurance premium exemption for children under three will help reduce the financial burden for low-income families by an estimated NT$137 million annually, Hsieh said.
The government has exempted out-patient and hospitalization fees for all local children under three since 2002, Hsieh said, adding that the results of a series of public opinion surveys show that 93 percent of respondents support this measure.
Hsieh also announced that the government will offer subsidies for elementary and junior-high schools in Aboriginal communities to purchase flat-panel TVs in connection with the planned launch of an Aboriginal TV channel in July.
Meanwhile, Hsieh said the Executive Yuan will raise the ratio of female commissioners in various commissions or councils under its jurisdiction to accentuate the government's resolve to promote gender equality in political participation and policy formulation.
A tropical depression in waters east of the Philippines could develop into a tropical storm as soon as today and bring rainfall as it approaches, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, while issuing heat warnings for 14 cities and counties. Weather model simulations show that there are still considerable differences in the path that the tropical depression is projected to take. It might pass through the Bashi Channel to the South China Sea or turn northeast and move toward the sea south of Japan, CWA forecaster Yeh Chih-chun (葉致均) said, adding that the uncertainty of its movement is still high,
TAIWANESE INNOVATION: The ‘Seawool’ fabric generates about NT$200m a year, with the bulk of it sourced by clothing brands operating in Europe and the US Growing up on Taiwan’s west coast where mollusk farming is popular, Eddie Wang saw discarded oyster shells transformed from waste to function — a memory that inspired him to create a unique and environmentally friendly fabric called “Seawool.” Wang remembered that residents of his seaside hometown of Yunlin County used discarded oyster shells that littered the streets during the harvest as insulation for their homes. “They burned the shells and painted the residue on the walls. The houses then became warm in the winter and cool in the summer,” the 42-year-old said at his factory in Tainan. “So I was
THE TOUR: Pope Francis has gone on a 12-day visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore. He was also invited to Taiwan The government yesterday welcomed Pope Francis to the Asia-Pacific region and said it would continue extending an invitation for him to visit Taiwan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the remarks as Pope Francis began a 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific on Monday. He is to travel about 33,000km by air to visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore, and would arrive back in Rome on Friday next week. It would be the longest and most challenging trip of Francis’ 11-year papacy. The 87-year-old has had health issues over the past few years and now uses a wheelchair. The ministry said
Discounted 72-hour Taipei Metro passes are to be offered to China Airlines passengers until Feb. 28 next year, the airline announced today. China Airlines passengers may present their boarding pass for a discount of up to 34 percent when buying a Taipei Metro 72-hour unlimited travel pass. The offer is available to international travelers on international flights bound for Taipei. Within seven days of arrival, travelers can present their boarding pass, passport and proof of flight payment at an EZfly counter in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport or Taoyuan MRT Taipei Main Station to obtain the discounted passes, the airline said. One 72-hour pass
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