Lu Shiow-yen Says Presidential Office "Cancelled Orders" from Sheltered Workshops, Sparking Controversy

Aug 25, 2026

A political dispute over Mid-Autumn Festival gift box orders has made sheltered workshops for people with disabilities a casualty of the tug-of-war between the KMT, the DPP and the TPP — bad news for disadvantaged groups.

  • After the Legislative Yuan cut and froze the Presidential Office's special state affairs fund, the office was forced to cancel an order of 15,000 Mid-Autumn gift boxes it had planned to place with 37 sheltered workshops nationwide.
  • Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen described the affair as the Presidential Office "cancelling orders," and was criticised for avoiding the fact that the budget cuts and freezes were the root cause.
  • Japan travel expert Wu Chien-pan named the 57 legislators who voted in favour, calling for the proposal, co-signature and voting records to be made public so the people can judge for themselves.
  • The Taichung City Government subsequently paid out of its own pocket for around 1,300 boxes of pastries from four disadvantaged groups, a move described as "turning off the tap first, then offering a bucket of water."
  • Those genuinely affected are the workers with disabilities in the sheltered workshops who depend on these orders for their jobs and income.

Outlook: This score is likely to be settled all the way through to the election on 28 November 2026, becoming a focal point of attack and defence for the KMT-TPP camp in the local campaign.

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