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.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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