The Legislative Yuan today approved a NT$30,000 monthly allowance for voluntary service members and higher salary for those in combat units, in a bid to boost flagging military recruitment and retention.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus, which proposed the amendment to the Pay Act of the Armed Forces (軍人待遇條例), said that salaries must be increased to reflect increased frequency of duties and training, as well as boost recruitment incentives and retain top talent.
As rising cross-strait tensions have increased the workload of combat and combat support units, the bill introduces a new allowance scheme to incentivize recruitment, the KMT said.
Photo: Huang Chin-hsuan, Taipei Times
The bill standardizes current regional allowances by eliminating restrictions based on service category and rank, emphasizing instead that such allowances should be determined by the remoteness and inconvenience of the service location, the party said.
It also legalizes overtime pay, so that if service members do not use all their leave, they can convert it into pay.
In addition, it stipulates that salaries should be appropriately adjusted so that military personnel’s income is not affected by inflation.
The bill, which passed the third reading, is set to go into effect from Jan. 1 next year.
Earlier this morning, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said that the bill contravenes the Budget Act (預算法) and the Constitution, and urged lawmakers not to “repeat the same mistakes” or the Executive Yuan would take action if necessary.
The Budget Act stipulates if the Legislative Yuan introduces legislation that would significantly increase the annual expenditure of the central government, it must consult the Executive Yuan, Cho said.
The Taiwan People's Party (TPP) also held a news conference earlier today to explain its version of the amendment, after the party’s caucus failed to reach a consensus with the KMT on a consolidated bill.
TPP Legislator Lin Yi-chun (林憶君) said that the military is struggling to recruit and retain people, and an increasing number of volunteer service members have been retiring.
About half of the early discharge applications are due to insufficient salary and benefits, she said, adding that all members of the TPP caucus agree that raising salaries is the fastest way to retain talent.
As the government plans to spend 3 percent of GDP on defense next year, the budget is sufficient to cover these raises, she said.
The TPP proposal sought to increase and standardize compensation for volunteer soldiers, rather than instating a salary increase across the board.
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
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
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
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
RSS