Page 35 - An Overview of Penghu

VIII Social Undertakings

The Benevolent Institution of Penghu.

After the takeover of Taiwan, Governor-General of Taiwan Kodama Gentaro ordered the
repair of the “Penghu Infant Care House” established in the Qing dynasty, and turned it into the
Benevolent Institution of Penghu. He even turned the organization into a foundation in 1923,
which received subsidies from the exchequer and the prefectural government; it used these
subsidies to educate, and take care of, the impoverished. Its members also traveled to different
regions and provided medical care to the poor. After 1924, the foundation started receiving
subsidies from the Ministry of Imperial Household annually as a reward for promoting social
undertakings and was even subsidized twice by the Meiji Benevolent Institution, totaling 1,500
Taiwanese yen.

The Penghu Relief Union for the Impoverished.

To encourage Penghu residents to prepare emergency savings, the government set up a
foundation called the Penghu Relief Union for the Impoverished in 1919. Its funds come from
the benevolent donation collected by Taiwan Daily News, a newspaper, and other emergency
funds. The mission of this foundation is to support poor families doing side jobs, provide them
with immigrant benefits and sources of potential jobs, support their lives, and donate money to
non-profitable groups whenever possible, as a way to promote social undertakings. The
foundation received subsidies from the Ministry of Imperial Household twice on the National
Founding Day of Japan (February 11th) in 1930 and 1931, respectively, for its promotion of
social undertakings.

Others

Penghu Prefecture has various organizations and facilities contributing to the social
undertakings in Penghu, including the “Taiwan Social Undertaking Association Penghu
Branch”, “Magong Town Public Housing”, “Magong Town Public Bath House”, “Magong Town
Public Consumers' Market”, “Magong Town Public Lounge”, “Japanese Red Cross Penghu
Prefecture Committee,” “Female Patriots' Association”, “Penghu Prefecture Directorate”, and
others. Among them, the Female Patriots' Association and the Directorate started taking
responsibility in the following areas in 1931:

Ÿ Providing support for residents on offshore islands

Officers made around 350 aragonite-embedded belts for women and sold them in Taipei,
then used the revenue to purchase five radios, which were given to police stations in Wangan,
Shuian, Jiangjungao and Dayu of Wangan Village, and Jibei Isle of Baisha Village. News was
broadcast via radio every day; besides providing references for police and teachers at work, it
also serves as a form of comfort to normal residents.

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