Premier Jiang Yi-huah today visited the Penghu Senior Citizens' Home under the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and donated NT$50,000 (US$1,640) to express concern for the Home's elderly, children and staff.
Implementing extensive care for and safeguarding the rights and interests of the elderly, children and youths are a major administration of the government, Jiang said. Besides establishing more and more daycare centers to provide care services to the elderly, the government has also enacted the Enforcement Act of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to foster a healthy, safe and happy growth environment for children and youths.
The premier warmly interacted with the elderly and enjoyed their singing performance, which was full of local character. He also dined with the children at the Home, and the atmosphere was joyous, warm and congenial.
The Penghu Senior Citizens' Home is the only public and comprehensive elderly care institution in the Penghu area that caters to the elderly, youths and children alike. The Home has received good performance evaluations in the nationwide appraisals of the elderly, children and youth placement and welfare institutes, the premier pointed out. In this trip to the Penghu elderly home, the premier was happy to see "grandpas" and "grandmas" live in joy and harmony.
Taking care of the elderly is a major task of this administration and a responsibility that the government must shoulder, the premier reiterated, adding that whenever he is free, he visits elderly homes in various cities and counties to extend his concern.
Jiang cited the initiative he implemented during his tenure as Minister of the Interior—setting up daycare centers to help the elderly enjoy long lives of 120 years. By 2013, this program had accomplished its goal of setting up 120 daycare centers islandwide. To further the initiative, the premier announced that his administration will invest NT$2.4 billion (US$78.7 million) to set up one daycare center in each of the 368 villages and townships nationwide prior to the end of 2016. "It is the duty of a modern society and nation to provide care to the elderly," he proclaimed.
Besides elderly care, the government also pays great attention to the care of children and youths, the premier pointed out. In recent years, many of President Ma's relevant campaign promises, such as subsidized tuition for five-year-olds and subsidies for hiring nannies to look after toddlers, have been realized. Jiang hopes these policies will help raise Taiwan's low birthrate.
The Enforcement Act of the Convention on the Rights of the Child took effect on November 20 this year. The Act provides guarantees of children and youths' rights and welfare by making the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child legally binding within the country. This demonstrates the government's determination to join track with the international community in protecting the rights and interests of children and youths, the premier pointed out. In the future, relevant agencies will examine areas where care of children and youths falls short and come up with remedies that will further advance the nation.