Taipei Times
Date: Jul 07, 2017
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter

A plan to cancel an education subsidy for children of retired military personnel who ranked lieutenant colonel or above has been suspended following protests by a military body, with lawmakers criticizing the policy reversal.

The Directorate-General of Personnel Administration on Monday announced that from Aug. 1, the children of civil servants and public-school teachers who receive pensions of more than NT$25,000 (US$817) per month and retired military personnel who ranked lieutenant colonel or above would no longer receive the subsidy.

The measure is part of efforts to reform the public employee pension system, with the government estimated to save about NT$1.1 billion per year from the cut.

However, following negotiation between the administration and the Veterans Affairs Council, it was announced on Wednesday that the policy would be suspended for military personnel, prompting criticism from lawmakers across party lines.    [FULL  STORY]