Taipei, Aug. 24 (CNA) ROC Vice President Annette Lu inspected earthquake- and typhoon-torn Nantou Count and encouraged local residents to bounce back from the devastating natural disasters like "unbendable lotus flowers."
Urging Nantou citizens to rise above the difficult times, Lu witnessed the "graduation" ceremonies of 13 mothers who undertook sewing training to acquire new job skills after last year's killer Sept. 21 earthquake destroyed homes and depressed the local economy.
Lu also praised returning students who spent the summer serving their home county, and added that she is certain this year will be a particularly significant period in their lives.
Pointing out that the disaster region residents have only two major demands from the government--a place to live and a job to go to--Lu said that the government's post-quake reconstruction committee should answer to the people and show substantial results by the earthquake's first anniversary in September.