County government team wins multiple governance awards; Magistrate Chang: Yunlin aims to be Taiwan’s most livable and sustainable county

(中央社訊息服務20251022 16:30:47)The Yunlin County Government held the “83rd Executive Meeting and Innovative Learning: Core Management Competency Training in Honoring Yunlin—County Government Team Award Presentation and Recognition Ceremony” at the County Government Auditorium on Aug. 10. The county government team presented County Magistrate Chang Li-shan (張麗善) with outstanding awards, including the “Five-Star County Magistrate” award from Global Views Monthly, the “Intelligent Community Forum Certification,” and the “TPIPAS Verification.” This ceremony showcased Yunlin’s commitment to accelerating progress toward its vision of becoming “Taiwan’s most livable and sustainable county.”

County Magistrate Chang stated that each milestone achieved is an impressive result produced through the hard work and dedication of the county government team. She expressed her gratitude to every colleague who has contributed quietly, as well as to the public for their encouragement and support. With more than a year remaining in her term, she still has much to accomplish. She urges everyone to become “tree planters,” contributing to Yunlin’s talent cultivation, industrial development, smart technology, and environmental sustainability. Plant the seeds of hope and nurture them with care, so that Yunlin can truly be reborn and emerge stronger, she added.

County Magistrate Chang also accepted awards from the Department of Social Affairs, Public Health Bureau, Environmental Protection Bureau, and Department of Culture and Tourism, among others, applauding the county government’s efforts and demonstrating the cohesion and professionalism of the Yunlin County Government team.

On Aug. 11, Deputy County Magistrate Hsieh Shu-ya (謝淑亞), Secretary-General Tseng Yuan-huang (曾元煌), and department heads presented the “Five-Star County Magistrate” award from the 2025 Global Views Monthly County and City Mayor Satisfaction Survey to County Magistrate Chang. This is the first county magistrate in Yunlin County history to receive this honor, a testament to the county government team’s dedicated governance and continuous service to the people.

In 2025, Yunlin County collaborated with EIPO/BABLE, the European strategic partners of the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), to further refine the six key criteria and core concepts of the ICF selection process. In March of this year, an international consulting team was invited to Yunlin to conduct a talent workshop. Using innovative acceleration tools such as the “Triple Helix Model” and the “Navigator Framework,” Yunlin County was able to identify key development issues and, by drawing on the practical experience of other international cities, assess the feasibility and potential of local implementation. In June, Yunlin County successfully obtained the ICF Smart Community Certification. With talent development and smart governance as its core, Yunlin County aims to transform its hometown into a place where people can live and thrive—a place that embodies the saying, “there’s no place like home.”

The Taiwan Personal Data Protection and Administration System (TPIPAS) maintenance agency announced on July 29 that the Yunlin County Government’s Cloud Joint Service Center successfully passed TPIPAS verification, becoming the first government agency in Taiwan to receive the certification. This demonstrates the Yunlin County Government’s long-term commitment to strengthening data governance and personal data protection culture, and sets a benchmark for government agencies to adopt the TPIPAS system.

In addition to awards presented by various departments, the Aug. 11 event was also conducted for the “Yunlin County Government's Model Civil Servants and Outstanding Civil Servants of the Year,” “Yunlin County’s Outstanding Units in Implementing the Denture Program for Low- and Middle-Income Elderly Subsidy Devices,” “Offices with Outstanding Performance in Garbage Sorting Inspections,” and “Short Video Editing and Internet Marketing Practical Training - Competition Recognition.”

The model civil servants include: Wu Chung-cheng (伍忠政), Section Chief of the Water Resources Department; Lin Kun-hsin (林坤信), Section Chief of the Planning Department (both of whom were recommended to represent Yunlin County in the 2025 Executive Yuan Model Civil Servant Selection, striving for national honors); Chen Ching-hsiang (陳青香), Section Chief of the Land Administration Department; Hsiao Bo-hong (蕭柏宏), Section Chief of the Budget, Accounting and Statistics Department; Chao Yue-tsung (趙曰聰), Section Chief of the Public Health Bureau; Chang Miao-li (張妙莉), Section Chief of the Tax Bureau; and Wu Hsiu-chen (吳秀珍), Manager of the Sihu Public Retail Market.

Outstanding civil servants include: Social Work Supervisor Liao Wei-chen (廖偉眞) of the Social Affairs Department, Staff Officer Cheng Po-yu (程柏毓) of the Labour and Youth Development Department, Section Chief Liu Kun-hong (柳昆宏) of the Agriculture Department, Technician Chen Chun-po (陳俊伯) of the Douliu Land Administration Office, Team Leader Li Wei-shun (李偉順) of the Fire Department, Detective Luo Chun-hong (羅駿宏) of the Police Department, and Section Chief Lian Chih-chia (連志嘉) of the Huwei Township Office.

Magistrate Chang stated that these award recipients not only excelled in their respective roles but also demonstrated a spirit of positivity, efficiency, and dedication in public service, promoting policies and improving administrative performance. The county government is a dedicated team focusing on serving the people, and they will continue to work together to create a more livable and happier Yunlin for all residents.

Yunlin County’s Outstanding Units for Implementing the Denture Program for Low- and Middle-Income Senior Citizens: Douliu City, Huwei Township, Mailiao Township, Kouhu Township, and Beigang Township. Five municipalities were recognized for their outstanding performance in the first quarter of 2025’s garbage sorting and auditing program: Mailiao Township, Lunbei Township, Taixi Township, Dapi Township, and Dounan Township. Three municipalities were recognized for their outstanding performance in the single-month (April) garbage sorting and auditing program: Mailiao Township, Huwei Township, and Dounan Township.

The Yunlin County Police Department emerged victorious in the “Short Video Editing and Internet Marketing Practical Training” competition, winning the gold award. The Water Resources Department and the Department of Labor and Youth Affairs Development won the silver and bronze awards, respectively, demonstrating the diverse and innovative marketing capabilities of the county government team.

The Social Affairs Department’s counseling communities were awarded the “1st Ministry of Health and Welfare Purple Ribbon Community Certification - 1 Purple Ribbon” award. Sansheng Community in Mailiao Township, Gukeng Community in Gukeng Township, and Linzhong Community in Linnei Township were also recognized with seven awards, including the Excellence Award and the Merit Award, in the “2024 Central Government Field Assessment of Social Welfare Performance of Municipal and County (City) Governments.”

The Yunlin County Public Health Bureau received a total of 16 awards in the “2024 Centers for Disease Control’s Epidemic Prevention Evaluation,” the “2024 National Health Administration’s Health Care Evaluation,” the “2024 Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Food and Drug Business Evaluation,” and the “Long-term Care Performance Evaluation,” including the “Excellence Award for Epidemic Prevention,” the “Hepatitis B High-Risk Children Tracking and Prevention,” the “Excellence Award for Routine Vaccination Completion Rate,” and the “COVID-19 Elderly Vaccination Excellence Award.”

The Yunlin County Environmental Protection Bureau has won seven major awards, including the 2025 Muse Design Award (Conceptual Design - Gold - Green), for its efforts in creating recycled art from waste, establishing the Yunlin County Environmental Smart Decision Support System, and constructing the Yunlin County Government’s first Diamond-Class Green Building and Smart Building.

The Yunlin County Government’s Urban and Rural Development Department performed brilliantly at the 12th Taiwan Landscape Awards, with four projects winning awards, including the Quality Award for “Huwei Township New and Old Urban Integration Plan (Phase II),” the Honorable Mentions for “Huwei Beixi Community,” the “Beigang Sugar Factory Railway Landscape Cultural Space Construction Plan,” and the “Shibi Bamboo Creation Forest Project,” demonstrating the achievements of urban and rural development and community building. The department also won the “International Award Association (IAA) 2025— TITAN Property Awards (Silver Award),” the “NY Architectural Design Awards (Silver Award),” and the “Design Award Agency (DAA) 2025 Arch Design Award.” The project has won numerous awards, including the Finnish Arch Design Award - Bronze Award and the 2025 National Construction Excellence Award - Best Environmental Culture Award.

The Department of Culture and Tourism received five major awards for the “2024 Xiluo Bridge Art Festival” and the “2024 Yun-Chia-Chia-Ying Visual Art Link,” including the “2025 Muse Creative Award (Event - Cultural) - Gold Award.” In addition, it also received the “2025 Muse Creative Award (Event - Cultural) - Silver Award” and the “2025 Muse Creative Award (Branded Content - Cultural Institution) - Silver Award.”

The Yunlin County Transportation and Public Works Bureau’s “2025 Yunlin County New Year Lighting Design and Decoration Project” held at the Agricultural Expo Park and the High Speed ​​Rail Green Parkway during the 2024 Spring Festival was awarded the Silver Award of the IAA MUSE Creative Awards and the French Design Award. The IAA Muse Award and the French Design Award are both globally recognized international design competitions. Standing out from entries from numerous countries, this project is not only a symbol of Yunlin’s pride, but also a sign that Taiwan’s local design strength is steadily moving towards international recognition. It also received the “2025 Muse Creative Awards Gold Award,” the “2025 National Construction Excellence Award - Best Planning and Design - Gold Award and Excellence Award,” and the “2024 Public Facilities Pipeline Database and Management Application System Assessment and Implementation Plan - Excellence Award.” In addition, it was awarded the “Highway Construction Excellence Award” at the 60th Anniversary Celebration of the 2025 Highway Festival.

The Yunlin County Police Department has been honored with “four major glories,” including five awards in the 2025 Public-Private Partnership 3.0 - Stars Gather to Fight Fraud, a national performance evaluation. This recognition demonstrates its outstanding ability to combat crime and protect local communities. The department has also consistently achieved strong results in various competitions, manifesting its high level of cohesion and professionalism. These achievements highlight the officers’ training and team spirit in local security.

In February 2025, the Yunlin County Government Planning Department held the “Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable Micro-Lighting Festival,” which attracted over 170,000 visitors and won both the Gold Award in the 2025 Rome Design Awards (Italy) for “Lighting Design - Event and Exhibition Lighting” and the Gold Award in the IAA London Design Awards (UK) for “Concept Design - Exhibition and Event.” The festival, centered around “micro-exhibition areas and sustainable concepts,” integrated lantern art with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Utilizing recycled materials, green technology, and digital interactivity, the department created an exhibition space that combined cultural beauty with environmental education. After the exhibition, the works will be returned to the community and campus to continue their value. They also won the “21st Golden Map Award of the Taiwan Geographic Information Society - Best Application System Award” and the “Promoting Climate Change Action Assessment - Excellence Award.”

The Yunlin County Government continues to promote the institutionalization of safety and operational standards for sewer facilities. The project received an “Excellent Work” award in the 2025 National Evaluation of Sewer Confined Space Entry and Exit Operations, organized by the Ministry of the Interior’s National Land Management Administration. This achievement demonstrates the county government’s commitment to implementing engineering risk control and operational safety management systems, earning positive recognition from the central government’s professional review. Furthermore, the Water Resources Department received the “2025 TWBA Taiwan Biodiversity Award - Gold Award.”

In the 2024 Local Government Public Service Statistics Performance Evaluation, the county was rated as excellent by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan, and is the only county in the country to receive the highest rating for six consecutive years (2019 to 2024).

The Yunlin County Government’s Department of Education actively promotes educational reform and strives to create a high-quality educational environment, with particularly remarkable achievements in bilingual education. Dounan High School was awarded the Silver Award in the Ministry of Education’s Teaching Excellence Award. The school, centered around the cross-disciplinary curriculum “The World of Taliwu/Cyber Blogger,” integrates bilingual instruction, digital learning, and local culture. The school has also launched innovative programs such as “E-Influencer,” “Taliwu Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” and “Dounan Foodie,” successfully establishing connections with eight countries and 14 international organizations to promote Yunlin.

The Taiwan Coffee Festival, organized by the Yunlin County Government’s Department of Agriculture, has once again been recognized with the 2025 MUSE Design Awards Gold Award in the “Events - Festivals/Carnivals” category. This recognition not only highlights Yunlin County’s years of dedication to transforming the local industry and cultivating coffee culture, but also further demonstrates the unique brand identity and cultural charm of Gukeng as the hometown of Taiwanese coffee.

Liao Shu-ling (廖淑伶), captain of the Liuhe Phoenix Volunteer Fire and Rescue Unit in Yunlin County, uses a ladle, hammer, and ambulance to express her love for the land. She volunteers for the farmers’ association by day and works as a first responder at night. Her story was recognized with the Executive Yuan Arts and Business Award for Gender Equality. The Yunlin County Fire Department supports women in public service, providing training and resources to promote gender equality and inspire more women to serve in public service, thereby strengthening community resilience and inclusion.