Mayor’s Remarks:
Citizens and councilmembers alike value the planning and development of Tianma Substation, which is situated on land that is under the jurisdiction of the National Property Administration rather than the municipal government. The role of the municipal government is to assist in the planning of the substation; therefore, concerned bureaus should brainstorm and propose feasible approaches that maximize national benefit.
Announcements
1. The Social Affairs Bureau’s report on the strategic employment and progress of the “one daycare center per school district” policy (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) Tainan’s senior citizen population has grown from more than 270,000 at the start of 2019 to over 320,000 at the end of 2021, which marks an increase of 40,000. On average, the senior citizen population grew by 13,000 per year. At the current rate, we can expect a senior citizen population of 339,000 by next year. Currently, the growth in the number of senior citizens far outpaces the speed at which the municipal government can expand social welfare and security networks. We must face this problem with discretion and strive to provide older adults with a safe and happy environment to age in.
(2) I ask concerned departments to provide assistance in implementing the strategy of using middle school districts as a standard for establishing daycare centers. We are working with very limited resources. Population aging isn’t unique to Tainan. All municipalities in Taiwan are facing this issue. We must strive to satisfy the demands of older adults. The “one daycare center per school district” policy is stipulated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, an agency of the Central Government. We will do our best to ensure that this policy is carried out accordingly. I implore leaders of districts that find it difficult to build daycare centers to request funding from the Central Government and resources from the local government. Let’s work together to build a network of senior daycare centers.
2. The Public Health Bureau’s report on elevating the public safety of nursing homes in Tainan (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
Fires at nursing homes or hospitals are absolute tragedies. The fire that broke out at the nursing home in Sinying Hospital’s Beimen Branch in 2012 resulted in major loss of life and casualties. We must remember this lesson and prioritize the fire safety of municipal nursing homes and medical institutions. So far, Tainan has done well this year in terms of epidemic prevention, as no community clusters have been reported by long-term care facilities. We should also strive to improve disaster prevention at these facilities. I ask the Fire Department and Public Works Bureau to assist the Public Health Bureau in promoting disaster prevention. We simply cannot afford to have a major fire in the municipality. A neighboring municipality recently reported a major building fire, and their fire department and other bureaus all became targets of public criticism. All departments in the municipal government are linked, and when disaster strikes, everyone will come under scrutiny. For the benefit of the team, I ask all departments to help the Public Health Bureau in preventing disasters.