Virus Outbreak: Lawmakers approve special budgetFLEXIBILITY: As the special budget is not bound by Articles 62 and 63 of the Budget Act, funding can be transferred between government agencies as neededBy Sean Lin / Staff reporterLawmakers yesterday approved a NT$60 billion (US$1.99 billion) special budget to fund disease prevention efforts, as well as bail out and support sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The budget, planned according to the Special Act on COVID-19 Prevention, Relief and Recovery (嚴重特殊傳染性肺炎防治及紓困振興特別條例), was passed unanimously in its entirety just 16 days after it was unveiled. The Legislative Yuan had earlier this month held three joint committee reviews, during which lawmakers agreed to leave the budget intact based on a consensus that disease prevention is the top priority. Legislative Speaker You Si-kun bangs his gavel at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday to mark the passage of the central government’s special budget to fund disease-prevention and industry relief efforts. The budget is not bound by Articles 62 and 63 of the Budget Act (預算法), meaning that the funding can be transferred among agencies.

Source: Taipei Times March 13, 2020 15:56 UTC