Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

A group of over 100 elders from the Taipei Municipal Haoran Senior Citizens Home visited the Puppetry Art Center of Taipei on December 17. At the art center, the members were pleasantly surprised to see Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin welcoming them at the doors.
The mayor entertained the senior citizens by appearing on the stage as a guest ‘puppet master’ and entertaining the audience with a short puppet skit in both Mandarin and Taiwanese. He later joined five elders from the group in an impromptu performance, setting off roars of laughter and applause.
To express his best wishes for the holiday season, the mayor presented each member of the group with a New Year gift package containing warm packs, a scarf and other seasonal gifts.
According to the mayor, senior citizens account for nearly 13 percent of the city’s population. Therefore, city government’s policies offering services and welfare to senior citizens have a high priority. Residents of Taipei City over the age of 65 enjoy free rides on public buses and MRT. Moreover, the city is the first in the nation to provide transportation subsidies to seniors for taking taxis.
In 2010, the city government plans to introduce more services for senior citizens, including expanding the basis for subsidizing denture implants and increasing the number of daycare centers and senior homes.
Hau stressed that the objective of these policies is to ensure senior citizens a safe environment and a high quality of living.