President William Lai (賴清德) today announced that the government is to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child aged 18 and under as part of a new strategic response to the nation’s declining birthrate.
Delivering a speech to mark his second anniversary in office, Lai said that to address demographic challenges, the government would soon unveil a new national population strategy, focusing on family support.
A core policy would be the monthly NT$5,000 allowance, which aims to encourage young people to have “the confidence to marry, start families and build happy, fulfilling lives,” he said.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Bravely pursuing the future also means facing challenges in demographics, healthcare and the social safety net, Lai said.
As part of his "Healthy Taiwan" vision, Lai said the government would continue to invest in health, improve the medical environment and bolster the healthcare workforce.
This includes implementing standard nurse-to-patient ratios across all three shifts, as well as promoting “smart” healthcare and a tiered medical care system, Lai said.
“Medicine is not just about treating illness, but about ensuring a complete support system for every person, from birth and childhood, through adult working life and into old age,” he said.
The sustainability of the National Health Insurance system and medical resilience are crucial components of national resilience, Lai said, adding that "caring for the health of our people is protecting the future of our nation."
Regarding the forthcoming population strategy, Lai said that in addition to the new monthly allowance, the government hopes to provide comprehensive assistance encompassing marriage, pregnancy, child-rearing, family-friendly workplaces and subsidized housing for families.
These measures aim to help people balance their careers and family life, empowering young people to confidently build their families, he said.
At a news conference yesterday, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told reporters that the comprehensive family support plan would be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Thursday next week before an official announcement.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus expressed its full support, saying it had proposed a similar NT$5,000 monthly allowance for children aged 15 and under earlier this week.
The KMT caucus said it was pleased to see the administration adopting good policies and would fully back the bill once it is formally submitted to the legislature.
Additional reporting by Lin Hsin-han
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