Hou You-I Commends Outstanding Religious Organizations, Thanks Them for Selfless Contributions Toward Building a Livable City

The New Taipei City Government held the '2026 New Taipei City Outstanding Religious Organizations Awards Ceremony' today (4th), with Mayor Hou You-I presenting 298 plaques to honor religious organizations and individuals who demonstrated exceptional commitment to public welfare, social education, and long-term service during the past year (114). The Mayor expressed deep appreciation for their selfless contributions, which have infused positive energy into society and partnered with the municipal government to co-create a happy and livable city.

Mayor Hou stated that with a population of 4.04 million, many efforts to assist vulnerable groups and promote social education rely on close collaboration between religious organizations and the city government. Since launching the 'Good Days Love Platform' in 2019, the city has received donated goods and funds valued at over NT$5.6 billion, most of which came from the generous contributions of religious groups. Donated items include police motorcycles, garbage trucks, rehabilitation buses, and firefighting and disaster relief vehicles and equipment, continuously enhancing New Taipei City's public service capacity and disaster resilience.

Hou noted that last year's total charitable donations from religious organizations reached NT$482.31 million, setting a new annual record. Notably, temples such as Banqiao Ci-Hui Temple, Banqiao Jie-Yun Temple, Nanshan福德 Temple, Luzhou Yong-Lian Temple, Shulin Zhen-Nan Palace, Shulin Ji-An Temple, Linkou Zhu-Lin-Shan Guanyin Temple, and Sanxia Chang-Fu Rock Qing-Shui Patriarch Temple each donated over NT$10 million. Moreover, numerous temples and monasteries have long been engaged in public welfare and actively promoted social education, demonstrating religion's power to stabilize society and purify hearts.

In addition to honoring outstanding religious organizations, Mayor Hou especially acknowledged individuals who have served quietly for years. This year, 123 individuals received awards in the personal contribution category. The oldest awardee is 92-year-old Li Chung-Ching, General Director of Tamsui Hsing-Chung Temple, who continues to visit the temple every morning to serve tea and burn incense despite his age, embodying an unwavering spirit of service. The youngest awardee is 34-year-old Chen Ching-Wen, committee member of Yingge Dong-Yang Temple, who has volunteered at the temple since age 14, assisting in caring for the underprivileged, distributing supplies, and organizing events, while also mentoring new volunteers—passing kindness forward through generations. His dedication is truly admirable.