Taipei:Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen unveiled a comprehensive plan to revitalize the capital's waterways during a news conference held at his campaign headquarters in Zhongzheng District. The initiative aims to draw inspiration from Singapore's urban water management and focuses on five key areas Active, Beautiful, Clean, Detention, and Ecosystem, collectively referred to as "ABCDE."

According to Focus Taiwan, Shen's proposal includes improving waterfront facilities along the Tamsui and Keelung rivers to enhance public accessibility, utilizing wetlands and vegetation to improve water quality, and developing small-scale floodwater retention facilities in schools and parks to bolster Taipei's flood control capacity. Shen emphasized the importance of integrating education, culture, and environmental protection into urban water management, moving beyond a sole focus on engineering.

Shen highlighted the disconnection between residents and Taipei's waterways, noting that many streams and irrigation channels have been obscured or incorporated into underground systems due to urban development. The revitalization initiative seeks to reconnect residents with these waterways and incorporate water considerations into urban planning.

Later in the day, Shen attended a Halloween event outside the Tianmu Baseball Stadium, where he interacted with families and discussed his childcare policies. Dressed as a ship captain, Shen distributed candy to children, including Han Wu, a local designer who expressed support for Shen's childcare proposals. Wu appreciated the plan to offer up to four hours of free drop-in childcare per week for preschool children, which he believes would provide necessary relief for working parents.

The Taipei City government's Department of Social Welfare, however, questioned the feasibility of Shen's childcare proposal. The department estimated that implementing the plan would require 414,000 hours of childcare services per week, compared to the city's current capacity of 130,000 hours.

Shen is set to challenge incumbent Kuomintang Mayor Chiang Wan-an in the upcoming Nov. 28 local elections. Known as the "9-in-1" elections, voters across Taiwan's 22 cities and counties will elect candidates for various local government positions, including city mayors, county magistrates, and councilors, with a total of 11,051 officials to be elected.