The National Association of Jurists of Panama (ANAJUPA) issued a statement with a series of proposals to ensure the sustainability of the Disability, Old Age, and Death Program (IVM) and the stability of the social security system in the country.
According to the association's spokesperson, Luis de León Arias, the IVM program faces imminent collapse, which could jeopardize the full payment of pensions to retirees starting in 2025. ANAJUPA emphasized the urgent need to update Law 51 of 2005 to reflect the current economic and social reality of Panama.
The association based its stance on Article 109 of the Constitution of Panama, which establishes the state's responsibility to ensure the health of the population, to underscore the importance of the Executive providing transparent information about the financial status of the CSS.
Furthermore, ANAJUPA questioned the proposal to finance the system through the mandatory enrollment of informal workers, arguing that many of them do not have the financial capability to contribute regularly. In its statement, ANAJUPA proposed several measures to increase the reserve funds of the CSS without needing to raise the retirement age.
These measures include recovering overdue accounts, reviewing tax laws to eliminate tax exemptions, reducing expenses by eliminating subsidies to political parties, reallocating income from diplomatic agents and notaries, and optimizing state assets to reduce rental costs and redirect those funds to social works.
ANAJUPA also called for establishing policies that promote national and foreign investment, ensuring legal security and generating employment for unemployed sectors. According to De León, these measures will strengthen the system without harming the working population.
