Taipei mayoral candidate and former health minister Chen Shih-chung (???) on Monday vowed to reintroduce financial stipends to the Taiwan capital’s seniors for the Double Ninth Festival if elected into office.
However, the cash payment to be given for the festival in honor of elderly people will depend on the city’s financial situation at that time, Chen said in a radio interview.
Asked by the show’s host Clara Chou (???) if the gift pledge served his own interest, the 68-year-old Chen said he will donate his share even though he would be eligible for one.
The last time Taipei seniors aged 65 and older received the monetary gift from the city government was in 2015, a year after Ko was elected mayor of Taipei. The amount had been NT$1,500-NT$5,000 for seniors aged between 65 and 98, and NT$10,000 for those 99 years old and older.
In April 2016, Ko excluded senior citizens from high- and middle-income families, citing the need to use the funds to pay for welfare benefits and something more tangible for the elderly, triggering widespread discontent among seniors.
After the radio interview, Chen told reporters that the city government should not be a penny pincher when it comes to spending on children and the elderly.
To avoid a conflict of interest, Chen tendered his resignation on July 14 and officially stepped down as minister of health and welfare in a handover ceremony held on Monday. He was replaced by Deputy Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (???).
At the event, the former minister said he was having mixed feelings about leaving behind his teammates who have fought alongside him at the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) since the pandemic began more than two years ago.
According to Chen, he has led the COVID-19 epidemic prevention team for 910 days.
Meanwhile, he also took the time to express his appreciation for Lo Yi-chun (???), who is deputy head of the CECC’s medical response division.
Despite the many things that happened on a daily basis coupled with the late meetings, Lo never complained too much and was always quick to respond, he said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel