Panama to Invest $1.2 Billion in Infrastructure for 2026

The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) of Panama has announced plans to execute over 40 projects totaling more than $1.2 billion in 2026. These initiatives are expected to generate more than 30,000 jobs nationwide, including 10,000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs, as reported by Minister of Public Works José Luis Andrade Alegre. This performance is backed by the bidding of 28 projects worth $561.8 million and works awarded for $190.1 million, consolidating an administration focused on the optimal use of public resources. For the remainder of the year, the bidding for the Cañas-Bejuco Rovira highway in West Panama and the maintenance of green areas in coastal strips and the Amador Causeway, valued at $26.1 million, are scheduled. The minister also reported that 20 awarded projects will begin execution in January, while 21 projects will be launched in February, 16 of which correspond to the “tapa huecos” (pothole-filling) program, initiatives that will have a direct impact on urban and rural communities nationwide. Among the strategic works mentioned are the rehabilitation and expansion of the David-Boquete highway, the rehabilitation of the Alto Boquete-Caldera-Puente Los Valles road, the intervention on the CPA-El Valle de Antón highway, and the improvement of urban streets in Aguadulce, North Panama, Metetí, Gorgona, Chame, and San Carlos, as well as production roads that strengthen agricultural activity in provinces like Chiriquí, Coclé, Herrera, and Los Santos. During his address, the head of the MOP detailed that the management developed in 2025 has allowed for a global saving of 12.25%, equivalent to $26.5 million. Additionally, two long-standing projects will be executed: the expansion of Avenida Omar Torrijos towards the Centenario Bridge and the enabling of exclusive lanes in the center of Vía España. In this context, the high-impact national project Corredor de las Playas – variante Campana, an 18.6-kilometer work, was highlighted, with its start scheduled for March.