President José Raúl Mulino and his family broke ground on a pet hospital, a project costing over $14.1 million and being carried out by Construction Management Group Inc. (CMG). A statement from the Ministry of the Presidency details that the center “will provide a space for the training of veterinary students specializing in the care of dogs and cats.” Monique Mulino, daughter of President José Raúl Mulino, also broke ground on the project.
During the public event, the Minister of Agricultural Development, Roberto Linares, announced that another pet hospital will be built. This is the same company that, last October, was awarded a $7.1 million contract to restore the Quarry Heights diplomatic villa in Ancón. First Lady Maricel Cohen de Mulino broke ground on the $14.1 million pet hospital. The hospital, which will focus on the care of dogs and cats, will be built in Costa Sur, a district of Don Bosco, near the Southern Corridor.
Also present at the groundbreaking ceremony with the Mulino family and Minister Linares were Ministers Fernando Boyd (Health) and Juan Carlos Orillac (Presidency); the Secretary of Goals, José Ramón Icaza; the Mayor of Panama City, Mayer Mizrachi; and the Governor of the Province of Panama, Mayín Correa.
The contract for the construction of the pet hospital was awarded under the turnkey modality, which establishes payments in stages and a term of 608 days to complete the work (approximately one year and six months), by mid-2027. Furthermore, over $44,700 is allocated for maintenance over a seven-month period. President Mulino stated that, with the start of the works, he is fulfilling his campaign promise and is committed to “contributing to building a more humane, more responsible, and more supportive Panama.”
The new facilities will include eight examination rooms, two waiting rooms—one for dogs and one for cats—an emergency area, X-ray facilities, a pharmacy, a cashier’s office, a grooming salon, admission and preparation rooms, a vaccination room, and outpatient operating rooms. They will also include a 300-square-meter hospitalization area. The hospital will also feature a retail area integrated into the reception area, including a pet shop where owners can purchase items while they wait.
This project was a direct contract for $12.2 million awarded by the Ministry of Culture, with the approval of the Cabinet Council. It has not yet been announced who will manage this space or if it will be leased out. During the event, the president emphasized that she and her twin sister, Alexandra, spearheaded this project, which had been promised during the election campaign. The president handed the groundbreaking ceremony to the first lady, while he rang a small bell. Shortly after, his daughter Monique also turned a shovelful of dirt.
The Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) included a clause that allows the hospital to be enabled before its completion through a “substantial act,” an exception that has historically been the subject of controversy in public projects. A Process Surrounded By Complaints: Before the financial bids for this public tender were made public, some companies filed complaints with the General Directorate of Public Procurement, alleging that the tender specifications contained provisions that limited participation and violated the principle of equal opportunity.
Interestingly, the Mulino sisters have also expressed interest in the work at the diplomatic compound. The hospital will be located in Chiriquí, the province where he and Mulino are from.
