The 1988 hotline set up for people to inquire about the government’s COVID-19 relief and stimulus programs would take questions about the planned NT$6,000 (US$196) cash handout from tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said on Friday.
The new service is aimed at helping people understand the multiple ways the one-time handout can be collected, the ministry said in a statement.
The hotline would also be used to prevent people from falling victim to fraud schemes, it said.
The telephone service, which was established in 2020 and has been available from 8:30am to 6:30pm every day, would still help people access COVID-19 relief, the ministry added.
The cash handout is part of a NT$380 billion economic stimulus package funded by a tax surplus from last year. Lawmakers are to vote on approving the handout on Friday.
Once the spending package has been approved, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) would sign it on Saturday, which would allow the fund to be released after five working days, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said on Thursday.
The proposed stimulus package also includes funding for the Labor Insurance Fund, the National Health Insurance and state-run Taiwan Power Co, which have all been operating at a loss, an official said when the Cabinet unveiled the spending plan on Feb. 23.
Cash incentives would be offered to foreign nationals to spur inbound tourism, subsidies for public transportation and financial assistance to low-income households, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, would also be covered in the spending package.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday voiced dissatisfaction with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), whose latest meeting, concluded earlier the same day, appeared not to address the country’s application. In a statement, MOFA said the CPTPP commission had "once again failed to fairly process Taiwan’s application," attributing the inaction to the bloc’s "succumbing to political pressure," without elaborating. Taiwan submitted its CPTPP application under the name "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu" on Sept. 22, 2021 -- less than a week after China
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Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) on Monday announced light shows and themed traffic lights to welcome fans of South Korean pop group Twice to the port city. The group is to play Kaohsiung on Saturday as part of its “This Is For” world tour. It would be the group’s first performance in Taiwan since its debut 10 years ago. The all-female group consists of five South Koreans, three Japanese and Tainan’s Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜), the first Taiwan-born and raised member of a South Korean girl group. To promote the group’s arrival, the city has been holding a series of events, including a pop-up
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