Alternative Service Personnel Meal Allowances to Increase by NT$720 Starting July, Regular Review Mechanism to Be Established

(CNA, Taipei, June 29) The Ministry of the Interior announced today that starting July 1, the meal allowance for alternative service personnel will be increased by NT$720. The allowance for the main island will be raised to NT$4,560, for outlying islands of the main island (such as Penghu) to NT$4,825, for outer islands (such as Kinmen, Matsu) to NT$5,360, and for outlying islands of outer islands including overseas regions to NT$5,580. Furthermore, a regular review mechanism for meal allowances will be established starting this year.

The Ministry of the Interior stated in a press release today that considering the increased training intensity and physical exertion after alternative service personnel enlist, and to enhance the care for their dietary needs and nutritional supplementation during training, the meal allowances for alternative service personnel will be comprehensively increased starting July 1.

The Ministry of the Interior said that the allowance for Taiwan's main island will be increased from NT$3,840 to NT$4,560; for the outlying islands of the main island (including Penghu Islands, Keelung Islet, Guishan Island, Lanyu, Green Island, Xiaoliuqiu, Pengjia Islet, etc.) from NT$4,105 to NT$4,825.

For outer islands (including Kinmen, Matsu, Dongsha Island, etc.) it will be increased from NT$4,640 to NT$5,360; for outlying islands of outer islands including overseas regions (including Kinmen's Dadan, Erdan, Houyu, Meng-hu Islet, Fuxing Islet, Shiyu, Caoyu, Dongding, Beiding, etc.; Matsu's Gaodeng, Liangdao, Daqiu, Wudiu area, Dongju, Xiju, etc.; Nansha Islands) from NT$4,860 to NT$5,580.

Minister of the Interior Liu Shih-fang stated that to balance price fluctuations and the rights and interests of alternative service personnel with those of regular soldiers, a regular review mechanism for meal allowances will be established starting this year. In principle, it will be reviewed every 3 years. Additionally, the review mechanism will be triggered when the Ministry of National Defense adjusts the meal allowance standards for active-duty military personnel, or when the growth rate of the external food price index in the most recent year compared to the previous adjustment index reaches 7%, ensuring that the dietary care for alternative service personnel keeps pace with the times.

Liu Shih-fang pointed out that since 2016, the meal allowance standards have been adjusted three times, with a cumulative increase of approximately 50% at most. Taking the main island of Taiwan as an example, it increased from NT$3,055 to NT$4,560, an increase of about 49.3%.

The Ministry of the Interior emphasized that alternative service personnel are an important part of the conscription system, fulfilling their service obligations according to law, and are integrated into the civil defense system, participating in tasks such as disaster prevention, rescue, post-disaster recovery, and civilian support. In recent years, in response to challenges posed by extreme weather and complex disasters, the training content and task intensity for alternative service personnel have been gradually increasing. The government has a responsibility to improve related living care measures, and by adjusting the meal allowance standards, provide more comprehensive service support. (Editor: Chang Chun-mao) 1150629

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