Taipei: A small fraction of the government's fiscal 2026 budget, including funding for the TPass commuter initiative, successfully passed a second reading in the Legislature on Friday. The approved amount of NT$71.8 billion (US$2.27 billion), which represents 2.4 percent of the total budget, was cleared with a 54-29 vote. This vote was supported by the opposition Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party and covers 38 items from the broader NT$3.03 trillion budget proposed by the government.
According to Focus Taiwan, the approved budget includes NT$7.52 billion in funding through 2029 for the TPass program. This program currently supports subsidized fares for over 1 million commuters utilizing various forms of public transportation in Keelung, New Taipei, Taipei, and Taoyuan. The motion also allocated NT$3.19 billion (US$101 million) for maternity subsidies under labor, civil servant, and public school teacher insurance programs. Additionally, NT$352 million (US$11 million) was approved for an expressway connecting Kaohsiung and Pingtung County, and NT$1.85 billion was allocated for an initiative focused on flood prevention and control.
Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee expressed regret on Friday that despite it being March, the government's fiscal 2026 budget has not yet been submitted for review. She cited Article 7 of the Legislative Yuan Exercise of Official Powers Act, which requires any budget to undergo three readings. Lee highlighted the lack of precedent for the current motion and urged the Legislature to deliberate the budget soon to avoid affecting national development and public welfare.
The KMT and TPP caucuses had called for closed-door negotiations on January 22 regarding the motion, but lawmakers were unable to reach a consensus. Following a month of stalled negotiations, the Legislature voted on the motion on Friday, passing it 54-29 with 83 lawmakers present. Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu stated that the measure will release funds for time-sensitive priorities and programs impacting essential public welfare.
Under the Budget Act, if the Legislature blocks the budget, it can still approve individual programs, excluding new capital outlays and initiatives, based on either the original allocation or the previous year's actual expenditures.