140 low-cost medicines can be purchased in 500 pharmacies in the country.

Cable car, Line 2A, extension of Line 3 and railway to Chiriquí are managed.

Force majeure plan against crime.

First Agro Employment program announced.

A comprehensive strategy that will concentrate the main efforts of the Government, based on major priorities such as employment, health, basic basket, water, public transportation and security for Panamanians, announced the President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, during the presentation of his Report to the Nation before the National Assembly.

“Panamá Pa’ Ti” will be the name of this strategic tactic that will be developed by axes. One of them is the generation of 80 thousand new private jobs through a close alliance with the productive sector. They will not be state squares, but rather sustainable opportunities that arise from investment, production and the development of new projects, the governor said.

“Starting today you will see a president more focused on generating jobs, promoting economic growth and ensuring that the order we build translates into well-being for Panamanian families,” declared Mulino, who explained that one of the engines to achieve that goal will be construction, while presenting a program for housing affordable to Panamanian families, with special emphasis on the interior of the country.

The First Agro Employment program will constitute a new phase of this government pillar to benefit 2,000 young people in the provinces of Los Santos, Herrera, Veraguas and Darién; while, for the month of September, he announced the start of CEAGRO activities, with the first 100 young people receiving scholarships to prepare as technicians in the agricultural sector.

In terms of employment, together with Mitradel, Inadeh and ATP, Mulino also announced a national training program with paid internships in the tourism sector, as well as an alliance with Google to launch the Talent Up Panama program. This initiative will allow 10,000 Panamanians to access free training in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, data analysis and other high-demand digital skills.

This axis is accompanied by the tendered road works that are generating economic movement and employment. Works such as the Tapahuecos program, the Loma Campana - Santiago highway, the advancement of the Beach Corridor, the Caribbean Corridor, which demand local labor, boosting the economy of the entire country.

In addition, he announced a historic alliance with the IDB Invest—of the Inter-American Development Bank—to invest one billion dollars directly, with a clear objective of creating jobs. These resources will not go through the government, but will go directly to the private sector, especially small and medium-sized businesses. He also reported on the start of expansion works in the Colón Free Zone for an amount of B/.250 million.

In relation to employment and the environment, President Mulino reported that an in-depth objective study was carried out, with highly prestigious international professionals, on the issue of the mine. The report – which is available to everyone on the MiAmbiente website – is being analyzed and studied by a government team headed by Minister Julio Moltó, accompanied by Ministers Juan Carlos Navarro and Felipe Chapman, under the premise that everything that is carried out must be based on verifiable and valid information.

“The positions of ‘yes because yes’ and ‘no because no’ try to evade the argument, the logic and the reasons to make decisions that must be in the direction of the best interests of the country when it is appropriate to do so,” said Mulino.

Another axis in execution is health, where progress is being made in the digitalization of the system with online appointments, digital prescription and telemedicine, bringing health services closer to more Panamanians, with emphasis on prevention and timely care.

"I announce that the 140 high-quality medicines at low prices that are sold today in Minsa pharmacies will be marketed, starting this year, in more than 500 pharmacies throughout the country. This is direct help to the pockets of the Panamanian family," said the president.

In the remainder of the year, he said, the Anita Moreno Hospital and the Pediatric Emergency building in the City of Health will be completed. The Social Security Fund will put the 5 state-of-the-art robots into operation to increase its surgical capacity and, through a modern digital system, will improve the delivery of medicines.

Regarding the cost of the basic food basket, the president highlighted that, to relieve the pockets of thousands of Panamanians, the IMA will open new People's Stores in more provinces, in addition to giving instructions to reach an agreement between national producers, supermarkets and the Government that will allow offering a basket of basic products at a lower price than the current one.

On the topic of water, he highlighted that this year new drinking water systems will be added in Colón, Bocas del Toro and Herrera; also the completion of the East Hydraulic Ring, which will reinforce the supply for 500 thousand Panamanians. Likewise, the new water plants in Barú and Panama Este, expanding and rehabilitating plants in eight provinces, progress with the Arraiján and Sabanitas plants, the development of new desalination plants, and executing the Panama Without Leaks program.

To these axes, Mulino added public transportation. He affirmed that the San Miguelito Cable Car will be a reality, with advances in the technical and financial structuring to launch this work that will transform the mobility of thousands of Panamanians. Likewise, he announced the purchase of new trains for Line 1, the planning of Line 2A, the extension of Line 3, without forgetting the greatest campaign promise: the Panama-David train.

He also highlighted the work of the First Lady's Office, led by Maricel Cohen de Mulino, with her team and hundreds of volunteers, who this semester has had a great participation in charitable works, in social aid in the most vulnerable sectors such as the Patitas Mission, the immense work carried out in Parque Omar receiving donations for Venezuela and the work of containment and help to the families affected by the fire at the San Felipe mansion.

On the security issue, President Mulino reaffirmed that, just as it was once managed to be dealt with, it will be done again, strengthening the security forces, working hand in hand with neighboring countries and, in addition, the decision of the new Colombian government to resume fumigations that will help hit cocaine production at its origin, which is where this problem really begins.

This fight cannot happen alone, he stressed. For this reason, they will meet in Panama with all the countries of the region to begin a comprehensive plan for frontal combat. However, as a priority he announced that a force majeure plan will be imposed, isolating gang leaders completely, building a maximum security prison and tightening prison regulations for those who commit crimes from within prisons.

"I am pro human rights, but the rights of the victims will always come first. We are going to increase the number of troops on the streets, incorporate body cameras, drones and larger units in the neighborhoods. I prefer to be accused of overcrowding prisons, rather than for gang members to continue extorting, killing and robbing. It has been shown that gang members do not understand this through good means, so they will understand it with more weight from the public force," Mulino emphatically emphasized.

In this sense, he also said that scanners are added and controls are intensified with the National Customs Authority, which already has 100% control of movements in the country's main ports and has been very efficient in detecting illicit merchandise that fuels crime.

Finally, the president reported that yesterday the notification of regulatory compliance was received that allows Panama to return to the white list of the Paris MOU, which certifies that the Panamanian flag complies with the highest international standards in maritime matters.