A total of NT$743 million (US$26.2 million) has been raised in Taiwan in the 18 days since a government-designated account and an online funding platform were established to raise money to help refugees who have been forced to flee Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
As of 8am yesterday, the account had received NT$587.32 million, while donations from an online payment platform reached NT$156.36 million, the Relieve Disaster Foundation said.
The foundation was commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to operate the donation drive and ensure that its humanitarian goals are met.
Photo: Sam Yeh, AFP
The drive is being overseen by the central bank, the Financial Supervisory Commission and the Ministry of Finance, the foundation said.
Banking service charges are being refunded by the foundation for funds that are transferred into the donation account before noon on April 1, when the drive ends, it said.
The foundation encourages the public to contribute through its account at the Land Bank of Taiwan (code 005; account number 102-005-124-619), which is registered under the name “Relieve Disaster Foundation.”
Donations can also be made on the funding platform wabay.tw/projects/twuk, it added.
Donations made at convenience stores and virtual ATMs can be accepted until March 27, the foundation said.
A significant portion of the funds has been earmarked for medical aid and resettlement for Ukrainian refugees, as well as to purchase daily necessities.
The foundation has pledged NT$1 billion as a goal to ease the financial burdens of countries many refugees have fled to, particularly Poland and Slovakia, a foundation official said, adding that agencies in host countries have been wired NT$450 million.
The foundation would make public regular financial reports in accordance with the Charity Donations Act (公益勸募條例), the official added.
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
MULTIPRONGED APPROACH: China has sought to pressure Palau across a number of fronts, but the island nation has staunchly resisted overtures to ditch Taiwan Palau has been firm in backing Taiwan despite Chinese pressure that uses tourism economics, cyberattacks and criminal infiltration as tools to threaten the Pacific ally into renouncing its recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign state. The Presidential Office yesterday announced that Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) would visit Palau from Saturday to Wednesday next week at the invitation of Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr. Whipps in April said in an interview that China had outspokenly asked Palau to “denounce Taiwan.” “And we have said: ‘We have no enemies, but nobody tells us who our friends are,’” he said. Whipps has told reporters multiple times
RSS