Members of the public in New Taipei City and Taoyuan yesterday expressed skepticism when asked about measures proposed by President Willaim Lai (賴清德) earlier in the day to address Taiwan’s declining birthrate, with many doubting the policies would be enough to encourage people to have children.
The proposals included extending maternity and paternity leave, providing an additional monthly subsidy of NT$5,000 for children aged 17 or under and encouraging workplaces to adopt more family-friendly practices.
In New Taipei City, several mothers said that the measures would not persuade them to have another child, as the costs of raising children far exceed the proposed subsidies.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
They cited additional pressures such as mortgages, childcare expenses and school pickup arrangements.
Shortages in daycare availability and inflexible pickup hours are major challenges for dual-income families, some said.
While subsidies are welcome, higher wages and improved workplace protections would be more effective, others said.
Some women expressed concern that having children could negatively affect their careers, particularly in workplaces lacking supportive cultures for women.
Women often shoulder significant physical and emotional burdens related to pregnancy, childbirth and childcare, a woman surnamed Huang (黃) said.
Taiwan’s low birthrate is rooted in broader societal issues, including high housing prices, educational pressures and concerns about public safety, a married woman surnamed Lee (李) said.
Interviewees in Taoyuan voiced similar concerns, with many saying the issue is structural and cannot be solved simply by handing out money.
Several married respondents said that raising children requires long-term commitment and significantly affects family life.
The NT$5,000 subsidy could help lower-income households, but would not be enough to influence her decision about having more children, a married woman surnamed Chang (張) said.
Some single respondents also questioned the effectiveness of the proposal.
The monthly subsidy plan is an inefficient use of taxpayers’ money and the government should instead focus on raising wages and easing the burden of housing costs for younger people, a woman surnamed Wang (王) said.
A man surnamed Chen (陳) echoed her view, saying that Taiwan’s low birthrate stems from deeper structural problems within society.
Among those interviewed, only one married man, surnamed Yang (楊), expressed optimism about the proposals, saying the subsidy would be somewhat helpful and could encourage him and his wife to have children, because they already liked the idea of raising a family.