President José Raúl Mulino inspected the progress of the construction of Line 3 of the Metro, including the tunnel under the Panama Canal, which will connect the province of West Panama with the capital and improve the quality of life for over 500,000 residents.
The event, held in the Howard sector, Arraiján, West Panama, served as the backdrop for the president's customary Thursday press conference. He stated that this is an impressive project that will improve citizens' quality of life and announced he will meet with the team of professionals who performed this complex operation to congratulate them on their dedication and commitment.
During the press conference, President Mulino also announced that the Ministry of Education (Meduca) will hand over six new schools next week in the Ngäbe-Buglé comarca. Schools that functioned for decades as ranch schools will now be modern institutions equipped with photovoltaic systems, fire alarms, school cafeterias, teacher dormitories, computer labs, internet, and water storage tanks. These schools will benefit 1,300 students.
Additionally, the president announced the upcoming delivery of the Roberto Mariano Bula Stadium (Colón) after ten years of waiting and the restart of the Rico Cedeño Coliseum project in Chitré. He criticized the previous administration for doubling the project's original cost of $5.4 million.
President Mulino also confirmed he was invited by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway, between December 6-11. He emphasized that accompanying this "warrior for democracy and freedom" is "very emotional and very significant for Panama."
In response to journalists' questions, President Mulino stated that the government is preparing a bill to combat mafias and gangs. He stressed that this fight is a shared task for the government, the judiciary, and the population, which must avoid participating in crimes like drug trafficking.
On the economic front, the president noted the confirmation of Panama's investment-grade credit rating (BBB-) with a stable outlook by Standard & Poor's. He attributed this to the country's economic resilience and consistent fiscal policy. Mulino also mentioned the launch of a process to purge companies with a suspended status, a task "postponed for years."
In the health sector, the president praised the head of the Social Security Fund (CSS) for recovering with love what others paralyzed with hate. He highlighted that CSS has implemented the first phototherapy booth to treat skin diseases such as vitiligo and psoriasis.
