Penghu Wins Gold for Social Welfare and Five Silver Awards in China Times Local Government Satisfaction Survey
Penghu County Government
2026-05-27
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At the "Good Governance, Positive Public Response" Local Government Satisfaction Survey press conference held today (May 27) at the NTUH International Convention Center, China Times announced the results of its nationwide survey of local government performance. Penghu County delivered an outstanding performance, earning the Gold Award for Social Welfare and Silver Awards in five additional categories: public safety, transportation, arts and culture, age-friendly initiatives, and overall happiness. The results reflect strong public recognition of the county government's sustained efforts in local development and social care.
Senior Executive Officer Wang Kuo-yu accepted the awards on behalf of the Penghu County Government. He said that under the leadership of Magistrate Chen Kuang-fu, the county government has, over the past three years, adhered to the principles of prudent fiscal management and efficient resource allocation, strengthening the county's financial foundation while maximizing the impact of limited public resources. At the same time, the county has continued investing in social welfare, education, family support, and youth development. In response to the challenges of an aging population, declining birth rates, and youth outmigration, the county government has adopted "care for all generations and shared prosperity" as its governing vision. From senior care and child-rearing support to youth development and family well-being, Penghu is committed to building a happy and livable island community where older adults can age with dignity, young people can confidently build families, and more households choose to settle and thrive.
According to household registration statistics released by the Ministry of the Interior covering February through April 2026, Penghu ranked among the top three counties and cities nationwide in crude birth rate for three consecutive months, placing first nationwide in both February and March. The county also ranked among the nation's top three in crude marriage rate for the same three-month period, taking first place in two of those months. Wang said these results demonstrate that the county government's family support, child-rearing, and marriage promotion policies have begun delivering tangible results, giving more young people the confidence to build their futures, raise families, and have children in Penghu.
Addressing senior care, Wang noted that more than 20% of Penghu's population is now aged 65 or above, prompting the county to actively implement a range of age-friendly policies. Since taking office, Magistrate Chen has introduced denture subsidies for older adults, providing up to NT$50,000 for full dentures and NT$25,000 for partial dentures to help restore chewing function and improve quality of life. The county has also expanded publicly funded vaccinations, including pneumococcal and shingles vaccines, to safeguard seniors' health, while increasing annual Senior Citizens' Festival gift payments to NT$15,000 to provide additional care and support.
The county has also continued strengthening elder care services by expanding community care stations and senior fitness clubs, encouraging older adults to participate in community activities through shared meals, exercise, and social engagement. At the same time, Penghu has integrated long-term care and healthcare resources, expanded residential care capacity, strengthened dementia care services, and established designated dementia care centers in partnership with medical institutions to provide coordinated, continuous care. Meal delivery and regular home visits are also available for seniors living alone, ensuring they receive care and companionship comparable to that of family members.
The county government has continued expanding support for families with young children by increasing childbirth subsidies to NT$4,688 and raising monthly childcare allowances to NT$3,000. Publicly funded vaccinations against rotavirus and enterovirus are also provided to better protect children's health. In addition, Penghu continues expanding public infant care centers, increasing home-based childcare capacity, and introducing fixed-location temporary childcare services to create a more comprehensive childcare support system.
In education, the county has expanded dedicated preschool classes for two-year-olds to facilitate early childhood education, subsidizes elementary school uniforms and stationery, provides free nutritious lunches for all elementary and junior high school students, and incorporates certified Penghu Agricultural Goods and Penghu Seafood products into school meals so children can enjoy healthy, locally sourced food. Annual scholarships of NT$10,000 are also available for students from senior high school through doctoral studies, helping reduce educational expenses for families.
For families with children experiencing developmental delays, the county has strengthened early intervention services by providing an additional NT$2,000 beyond the central government's subsidy standard while continuing transportation subsidies. These measures help ensure children receive timely intervention regardless of travel distance or family financial circumstances, advancing the goal of early detection, early intervention, and early treatment.
To support young families and create a more family-friendly environment, the county has introduced the Penghu Egg Freezing and Fertility Preservation Subsidy Program, offering subsidies of up to NT$61,000 to help women preserve future reproductive options and provide greater flexibility in life planning. Penghu has also established a postpartum caregiver matching platform and plans a series of educational seminars for expectant mothers, covering pre-pregnancy, prenatal, and postnatal care to support families throughout the journey to parenthood.
Speaking on youth development and industrial innovation, Wang pointed out that the county continues implementing the Penghu SBIR Program, providing funding and professional guidance to help local businesses innovate and transform while encouraging young people to return home to start businesses and build their careers locally. The county also continues promoting the Penghu Agricultural Goods and Penghu Seafood certification brands to enhance the value and competitiveness of locally produced agricultural and fishery products. Through agricultural input subsidies and the leasing of publicly owned farmland, Penghu encourages young people to pursue careers in agriculture, revitalize land use, and stimulate local economic growth.
In addition, the county is actively supporting the central government's social housing initiatives while expanding rental subsidies and interest subsidies for home purchases and renovation loans to reduce housing costs for young people and families and help them build stable lives.
Wang said Penghu's achievement of one Gold Award and five Silver Awards in the nationwide local government satisfaction survey represents not only recognition of the county government's policy achievements, but also the collective efforts of the entire county government team. On behalf of Magistrate Chen Kuang-fu and Deputy Magistrate Lin Chieh-hsing, Wang expressed his gratitude to all county government employees and partners whose dedication has helped make Penghu the vibrant and welcoming community it is today. Looking ahead, the county government will continue advancing Magistrate Chen's vision of "Good Governance for Penghu, Delivering Happiness", further improving public services and building a more livable county where residents of every generation can enjoy a higher quality of life.
