The central and local governments have been at odds as to who should be processing numerous bailout applications. On May 12, New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih said he spoke with Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung and the issue has been resolved.


New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih presided over a COVID-19 contingency meeting on May 12. As May 12 is International Nurses Day, the mayor honored nurses, who are serving on the frontline. New Taipei City recently forwarded 9,301 applications for financial relief grants to the Ministry of Health and Welfare for review. The ministry returned the applications and ordered the city government to review them instead. Hou spoke with Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung on the phone, and they were able to reach a consensus. According to Hou, Chen told him that Premier Su Tseng-chang had failed to explain the policy clearly.

The matter has been resolved, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare was very clear. We also found out that the reason for all the problems. I spoke with the minister on the phone, and found out the reason. Our city government will take all the responsibility.

So far, 22,266 New Taipei City residents have submitted applications for the grants, and the city has relaxed restrictions for the review even though certain standards still have to be met. Hou said the objective is to review over 420 applications a day and grant the money as quickly as possible. He added that district chiefs have the authorization authority and he will take any responsibility for misgivings.

Penghu County recently became the first region to lift the ban on the operation of establishments in eight sex-related industries. Taipei also intends to lift the ban, while Hou said he doesn't intend to follow.

We absolutely won't give precedence to New Taipei City's eight sex-related industries when it comes to reopening. Reopening will only occur after professional assessments and with disease prevention as the top priority. There must be stringent controls in place for indoor places before they can reopen.

We will require them to meet fire safety and building code standards. We will also comply with Central Epidemic Command Center indications and require establishments to meet conditions including real name-based identification, the taking of temperatures, and social distancing before they can reopen.

The Penghu County Government said there are no hostess clubs and dance halls registered in the county. On May 13, the requirement on wearing face masks outside will be lifted. KTV hostess bars will be allowed to open to spur tourism and boost the economy as long as they implement real name-based identification systems, temperature testing, social distancing, and fire safety requirements. The county government has also stepped up inspections of KTVs following a deadly fire at a KTV in Taipei and discovered one that did not comply with fire safety standards. Twenty failed public safety inspections and have been ordered to cease operating.



新北市長侯友宜主持武漢肺炎疫情應變會議，12號正好是國際護理師節，侯友宜也特別致敬，堅守防疫前線的護理師，不過，新北市9301件的紓困申請案交給衛福部審查，結果被中央發回自審，引發紓困之亂，對此，侯友宜與衛福部長陳時中通電話取得共識，還透露陳時中說行政院長蘇貞昌，政策沒有講清楚。

新北市長 侯友宜表示：「事情都過了，衛福部也講得很清楚了，那也知道問題的原因所在，那部長跟我通過電話，也知道問題的所在。我們地方還是一句話，會負起所有的責任。」

新北市目前多達2萬2266件紓困案件，採從寬認定審查，仍有一定標準跟制度，侯友宜喊話，目標一天審核超過420人，盡速發放救命錢，也強調全權授權給區長，如果有任何疑慮，責任由市長來扛。

對於澎湖縣領先全國，13號將解禁八大行業，台北市也主張開放復工，但侯友宜不以為然，強調新北市不跟進，絕不會優先開放八大行業。

新北市長 侯友宜表示：「新北市的八大行業，絕對不會是優先開放的行業。我們開放，還會一定經過專業的評估，而且以防疫為最大的考量，室內一定有嚴格的管控層次，才會再開放。」

澎湖縣府發言人 陳其育表示：「我們會要求在消防安全，還有建築公安上面，都必須要符合要件。那在搭配防疫指揮中心，這邊所規定的實名制、量體溫、社交距離，這些要件符合之下，才能恢復正常營運。」

澎湖縣解釋，縣內沒有登記酒店、舞廳的營業場所，13號除了解除戶外戴口罩，基於帶動觀光產業、振興經濟，在符合實名制、量體溫、社交距離、消防安全檢查等情況下，開放有女陪侍卡拉OK、KTV 營業，由於錢櫃林森大火引發公安疑慮，澎湖縣府加強檢查，查出1家消防不合格、20多家建築物公共安全檢查也沒通過，禁止營業。