TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on Friday (June 28) announced that it will change the Mandarin name for priority seats and extend eligibility.
The ministry proposed making these changes by amending the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act (身心障礙者權益保障法), reported CNA. In the future, it said the current Mandarin name, which translates to “courtesy seat” (博愛座),will be changed to 優先席 which directly translates as “priority seat” and the eligibility will be expanded from the disabled, elderly, women and children, to people with "actual needs,” broadening the priority seating eligibility while avoiding disputes.
Recently, disputes over priority seats on Taiwan's MRT system have become frequent. The seats, intended as a goodwill gesture and a symbol of civic awareness, have repeatedly become sources of conflict.
In some cases, the elderly have resorted to physical altercations when young people refused to give up their seats, drawing public attention.
In response, the MOHW's Social and Family Affairs Administration announced a proposed amendment to Article 53 of the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act. The aim is to ensure that these seats are designated for those in need and should be prioritized for those who require them.
Social and Family Affairs Administration Deputy Director Chang Mei-mei (張美美) explained to the media that the amendment focuses on the name and eligibility criteria. She stated that the original designation for disabled elderly, women, and children already covered a broad range, including those who are unwell, but said that the wording may have caused misunderstandings regarding priority order.
Therefore, Chang said the name was changed to apply to those in genuine need to promote the core spirit and concept. This change aims to foster social care and empathy, encouraging people to give up their seats to those who need them, said Chang.
Regarding the name change, Chang explained that the English term is usually "priority seat," but translations vary. For example, Japan also uses the term "priority seat," while Taiwan has used "courtesy seat" for a long time.
Regardless of whether the name is "priority seat" or "courtesy seat," public transport such as the MRT and buses do not have assigned seats, and people's situations vary. She said the MOHW will work with the Ministry of Transportation to promote civic awareness in hopes of reducing the number of disputes over the seats.