Taipei, Nov. 5 (CNA) With Taiwan transforming into an elderly society, the government has an unequivocal responsibility to take care of its senior citizens by providing them with subsidies and social welfare services, Vice President Annette Lu said Wednesday.
Lu made the remarks while giving a speech at a forum sponsored by the Republic of China Association for the Promotion of Social Welfare Benefits for Senior Citizens.
Encouraging Taiwan's gray-haired population to pursue life-long learning as a means of staying young and energetic and remaining constructive members of society, Lu said Taiwan is already an elderly society according to the definition set by the United Nations.
Currently, there is one senior citizen aged over 65 years out of every 10 Taiwan residents, and the ratio will further climb to one out of every five in the future, she explained.
According to the vice president, the government now spends NT$73.3 billion (US$2.15 billion) each year on social welfare programs dedicated to 2.06 million senior nationals.
About 170,000 of them receive monthly subsidies of NT$3,000 to NT$6,000 for low income people, while some 650,000 get NT$3,000 per month in subsidies designed for elderly people, she said, adding that around 670,000 elderly farmers are given a monthly pension of NT$3,000, while some 110,000 retired veterans are provided with an allowance of NT$13,000 per month.
As Taiwan society is set to have more ageing nationals, Lu urged them to take part in public activities and maintain a young mindset so that they can continue to play an important role in society.