The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) held the public forum corresponding to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) category II for the project to improve the channel of the Caldera River, located in Bajo Boquete. This initiative seeks to comprehensively address the risk and erosion situation caused by the river's flooding, which threatens homes and critical infrastructure in the region. The event, held on the grounds of the Flowers and Coffee Fair, was organized by the MOP and coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment. During the meeting, Nancy Gaitán, coordinator of the Secretariat of Public Works, detailed that the dredging and optimization works will be carried out under strict environmental evaluation criteria to safeguard the communities of Alto Boquete, Bajo Boquete, and Jaramillo. Institution technicians explained that the intervention responds to a state of climate emergency. As reported at the forum, this material will be temporarily stockpiled for subsequent use in public works in the Boquete district, once the legal processes established in the EIA are completed. Among the projects that will benefit from these supplies is the rehabilitation of 18.3 kilometers of the Alto Boquete–Caldera–Puente Los Valles road, a project that will impact more than 9,700 inhabitants. It is also planned to be used in the construction of the Coffee Route and the second entrance to Boquete, a project representing an estimated investment of 25.9 million balboas. Both residents and local authorities expressed their support for the project's execution, emphasizing the importance of strengthening safety against climate events. The MOP reaffirmed its commitment to creating resilient infrastructure and respecting the environment, ensuring that citizen participation is fundamental to the success of these mitigation interventions.
