Taitung Councilor Suggests Expanding Senior Card Use; County Government to Continue Deliberations

(CNA, Taitung, May 20, by reporter Lu Tai-cheng) Taitung County seniors receive 1,500 points on their senior citizen cards for transportation each month, but many rarely use public transport and can hardly use them up. County Councilor Wang Wen-yi suggested that the scope of use could be more diverse, like in other counties and cities. The Taitung County Government stated it is continuously studying the matter. The Taitung County Council held a general interpellation session today. Non-partisan County Councilor Wang Wen-yi questioned Chen Shu-lan, Director of the Taitung County Government's Social Affairs Department, stating that she has received feedback from many elderly residents in Taitung City that the 1,500 points on their monthly senior card are 'visible but not usable.' She stated that the social welfare points on senior cards in various counties and cities across Taiwan typically range from 480 to 1,000 points per month. Taitung's 1,500 points are the highest in Taiwan, but many seniors in Taitung City are usually driven by their children or ride their own scooters, so they don't use the transportation subsidy at all. The high number of points is directly 'reclaimed' at the end of the month, leaving the elderly feeling that the benefit is 'visible but not usable.' She said, 'If the points could have more diverse uses, even for bathing in hot springs, that would truly be the government showing consideration for the elderly.' In her response, Chen Shu-lan stated that they had previously evaluated including the public bicycle system UBike, but the operator quoted a high platform fee of NT$5 million. Based on fiscal efficiency, they decided to save the budget and seek other affordable solutions. She mentioned that to activate the use of points, they have officially partnered with the China Youth Corps this year. Although full deduction with the senior card is not yet fully available, a quota of 400 points per month has been provided since the beginning of this year to encourage seniors to go directly to the China Youth Corps center for fitness or to participate in related health activities, comprehensively caring for the exercise habits and physical health of the silver-haired population. Chen Shu-lan emphasized that the next phase of the Social Affairs Department's policy focus is to encourage seniors to travel outdoors more and expand their local living circles. In the future, the senior card is planned to be functionally linked with the local 'TTGO' multi-purpose reservation and transport platform, allowing seniors' mobility to extend beyond the city limits to more smoothly reach various scenic spots and cultural sites within the county. As for the councilor's suggestion for cooperation with leisure and wellness businesses like the Zhiben Hot Springs, it has also been included in the scope of deliberation for expansion. It is hoped that through multi-pronged adjustments, a substantively happy, age-friendly city can be created. (Editor: Lee Shu-hua) 1150520