Ma touts moon cakes at welfare foundation

Ma’s actions were seen as being in line with his long-term care for underprivileged people, and more or less softened the political confrontation caused by the Aug.30 rally organized by the pro-independence Taiwan Society and sponsored by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party.

At a press conference jointly held by 21 social welfare organizations yesterday morning, Ma called for the public to purchase mooncake gift boxes made by social welfare organizations, as sales of the mooncakes made by these groups has been particularly slow, with the Mid-Autumn Festival being only two weeks away.

“If we buy mooncakes made by the underprivileged and offer them to other underprivileged people, such as the elderly and children housed in care centers, that will be double assistance,” Ma continued.

The president promised that the Presidential Office will set an example by buying 4,200 boxes of the mooncakes made by the social welfare organizations.

Other government agencies under the Executive Yuan will be also be encouraged to buy the mooncakes made by the social welfare groups, he added.

Ma also joined hands with members of the First Social Welfare Foundation to make tens of mooncakes.

The Mid-Autumn Festival will fall on Sept.14 this year. The sale of mooncake gift boxes has become in recent years one of the major revenue resources for social welfare organizations that care for mentally and physically challenged people and those with Down’s syndrome.

Sales have been slower this year as people are more reluctant to spend money, due to the economic downturn and a crowded-out effect regarding donations following the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, China, the organizations said.

Tsui Pin, director of the Eden Social Welfare Foundation’s public relations department, said at the same press conference that some firms that used to place mooncake orders have hesitated this year on grounds that they have made donations to people in the disaster areas in China.

According to the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan has donated more than NT$1 billion (US$32 million) to survivors of the earthquake in China.

To help promote the sale of mooncakes made by underprivileged people, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan and Interior Minister Liao Liou-yi have been actively engaged in advertising campaigns.

The organizations said they have tried hard to keep the sale prices at the same level as last year — even though the cost of raw materials has risen — for fear that their customers might hesitate to buy this year.

“This is the 12th year that we are making mooncakes for sale, Su Kuo-chen, executive director of the Children Are Us Foundation said recently. “We will continue to make mooncakes under the pressure of soaring costs, in order to give these children with Down’s syndrome a chance. “

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos Respond to this email