2015-10-10
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A lot of people got up early to participate in the flag-raising ceremony for the Double Ten National Day. Students of Wenhua High School (文華高中) assumed the role to raise the national flag in the ceremony. Dajia Shengtien Lion Dance Troupe (大甲聖天醒獅團) performed exciting lion dance; the elders from Goaqian Community Development Association (溝墘社區發展協會) led everyone in the field to do morning exercise and sing songs; Folk Dance Association (土風現舞協會) and Hospitable Child Dance Orchestra (好客兒童樂團) and Island Dance Troupe (寶島樂舞團) also made a series of performances. Mayor Lin, bureau heads of the city government, legislator Huang Guo-shu (黃國書), and city councilors Li Zhong (李中) and Liu Shi-chou (劉士州) all showed up in the National Day festival.
Mayor Lin greeted every enthusiastic participant, especially persons with disabilities who had taken the Rehabus provided by the Social Affairs Bureau and braved the shower in early morning to come to attend the National Day flag-raising ceremony.
Mayor Lin paid visual respect to the national flag in the flag raising ceremony, an action getting the media’s attention. Director-general of Information Bureau Zhuo Guan-ting (卓冠廷) explained that Mayor Lin did so according to Article 12 of the National Emblem and National Flag of the Republic of China Act.
Director-general Zhuo explained further that some media had a misconception that we must salute the national flag during the raising ceremony. “In fact, it is wrong. If you wear a hat, you salute the national flag. If you take off the hat, you stand where you are and pay visual respect,” added Zhuo.
Some media pointed out that Mayor Lin did not sing the first eight words of the national anthem. Director-general Zhuo replied that whether the first eight words of the national anthem reflect the current status of Taiwan should be left to the people for judgment and Mayor Lin also had his own discretion.
During the ceremony, Mayor Lin also thanked the City Council for its support in adoption of a number of municipal budgets, such as the "End-to-end Daycare Subsidy Program", the free dentures to senior citizens aged 65 and older, the increase of nutritious lunch budget by NT$ 5 per person per meal, the 10 km free bus ride, the youth entrepreneurship assistance program and others. Mayor Lin vowed to continue to guide his team to work hard, lead the city towards" efficiency and people first", and turn Taichung into a most livable city.
Social Affairs Bureau distributed 3,000 cup mats as a souvenir to people participating in the flag-raising ceremony, dispatched Rehabus to pick up persons with disabilities, loaned out wheelchairs to those in need, and arranged for sign language interpreters for the hearing-impaired friends.
unit:綜合企劃科
