The National Secretariat for Childhood, Adolescence and Family (Senniaf) organized a cleaning and repair drive for Wednesday, April 1st, at the Integral Care Center (CAI), located in Tocumen, following recent incidents involving acts of vandalism by a minority group of adolescents. These incidents left broken televisions, damaged furniture, shattered lamps, stained structures, and a large hole in the gypsum ceiling, among other damages reported at the Tocumen CAI. Lilibeth Cárdenas, the institution's director, explained that the last two cases recorded in this center have "crossed all the lines," as the adolescents engaged in violent and criminal acts. In this scenario, Cárdenas held a meeting the afternoon prior with Gustavo Pérez, whom she called a "security advisor," as part of the immediate actions taken after the incidents. Cárdenas emphasized that these campaigns aim to raise awareness about shared responsibility in caring for children and adolescents who are victims of abandonment, neglect, or vulnerable situations. However, these requests have raised questions after the government itself assured that the Secretariat has the necessary resources to manage the shelters. The Minister of Economy and Finance, Felipe Chapman, publicly stated on February 26th that Senniaf has the necessary funds to manage the shelters under its responsibility. At that time, Chapman indicated that after reviewing the budgets of various public institutions, it was evident that many have significant resources, so he believed the problem does not necessarily lie in a lack of money, but in the management of these funds. In this sense, he stressed the importance of strengthening the administration and efficient use of public resources, recalling that they are not unlimited. However, Pérez was one of the former directors of the National Security Council (CSN) convicted in the wiretapping case. In a video on the institution's social media, the director stated that "A comprehensive evaluation of the situation in the shelters was carried out, reviewing protocols, access controls, staff supervision, and response mechanisms for events that compromise the integrity of children, girls, and adolescents." The director noted that as part of these actions, it was agreed to strengthen existing security measures and implement new strategies to prevent future incidents. Precisely, as part of these measures, the cleaning drive at the center was organized. "I call on the deputies of the National Assembly and the general public to join these cleaning drives at the integral care center, as part of an initiative to strengthen the care of minors under state custody," she expressed. The official explained that the intention is to involve all sectors of society in these civic activities, highlighting that the protection of childhood should not fall solely on the government. "The children in the centers are Panama's children," she affirmed. Likewise, she informed that on Monday, March 30th, she sent notes to the deputies requesting collaboration. One of these communications was received by Roberto Zúñiga, head of the Vamos independent bloc, in which support was requested for painting materials, cleaning supplies, maintenance tools, and even volunteer personnel. Cárdenas detailed that although they have already received institutional support—including donations from the First Lady's Office, the President of the Republic, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Panama—the goal is to promote broader participation that also involves organizations, foundations, and citizens. In this sense, she indicated that she had extended invitations to all 73 deputies of the National Assembly to participate in these drives; however, to date, she has not received confirmation of attendance. She explained that, as in homes, the state's finances require discipline, order, and planning to achieve goals. "In economics, there is the principle of the allocation of scarce resources, which applies to all countries," she stated, insisting on the need to improve processes and administrative capacity within the public sector. "None of them have confirmed it," she noted. Despite this, she reiterated that she will continue to organize these activities and kept the invitation open. "It doesn't matter if they don't bring bleach or soap, we already have that. "I thought it was important to include all the actors."
