Taipei: Taiwan's Legislative Yuan has approved a substantial aid and recovery package, enabling the government to allocate up to NT$60 billion for regions severely impacted by Typhoon Danas and subsequent heavy rains in July.
According to Focus Taiwan, the special act, proposed by the Cabinet on August 7, swiftly passed through the Legislature following inter-party negotiations between ruling and opposition lawmakers. This legislation aims to provide relief to disaster-stricken areas and expand funding to support recovery efforts.
The approved legislation increases the government's ability to utilize NT$60 billion (US$1.99 billion), a rise from the previously suggested NT$56 billion. The funds will cater to the repair and rebuilding of infrastructure, electricity systems, telecommunications and cable TV networks, cultural heritage sites, and other public facilities. The financial aid package targets Miaoli County, regions south of Miaoli in western Taiwan, and Hualien and Taitung counties in eastern Taiwan.
Additionally, the legislation supports private sector recovery in agriculture, fishery, tourism, and cultural industries. It also provides subsidies, compensation, and other relief measures to households that suffered financial losses. The package includes cash handouts of NT$20,000 to households affected by floodwaters exceeding 50 centimeters and NT$30,000 for low-income or lower-middle-income households in similar conditions.
The act will be effective until December 31, 2026, with specific infrastructure projects allowed to continue until the end of 2027. With the special act now approved, the Cabinet must submit a separate appropriation bill to access the funding.
President Lai Ching-te expressed gratitude to the Legislature for prioritizing this aid package over partisan differences in a social media post later on Friday. The recent adverse weather resulted in two fatalities and over 700 injuries across Taiwan, forcing thousands to evacuate. More than one million households encountered power outages, and 70,000 were disconnected from water lines, according to government data. In southern Taiwan, where agriculture and aquaculture are key economic drivers, the sectors sustained an estimated NT$3.28 billion in losses.