President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday asked Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators to quickly complete the review of several major bills, including a pension reform bill and an infrastructure development plan, despite opposition.

Tsai, who is also DPP chairperson, told DPP lawmakers at a luncheon that damage caused by recent torrential rains shows the importance of water projects and urged them to push through the government’s NT$882.49 billion (US$29.24 billion) Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program.

Tsai has also urged passage of a pension reform measure that would cut the retirement benefits of teachers and civil servants, saying that pension reform and the infrastructure project were crucial to the nation’s overall reform program and economic development, Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang (黃重諺) said.

Tsai issued the appeal ahead of a special legislative session scheduled for tomorrow and Thursday, which is to be focused on bills considered a high priority for the DPP.

Under the proposed infrastructure plan, the government intends to spend nearly NT$890 billion over eight years on projects such as new light-railway systems and several railway extensions.

“Green” energy development and urban-rural construction and renewal projects are also part of the plan, which is aimed at spurring development and enhancing Taiwanese quality of life.