Panama City, October 24, 2026 – President José Raúl Mulino confirmed government support for small and medium-sized businesses damaged by the October 9 earthquake, a move framed as central to the country’s economic recovery Panama strategy. The announcement came as officials prepare field assessments to channel relief funds directly to affected merchants.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) will dispatch personnel next week to evaluate individual business conditions. Minister Julio Moltó said the government is consolidating damage data with Fedecamaras and tools provided by the UN through UNDP.
Economic Recovery Panama Relief Framework
Speaking to reporters, Mulino acknowledged that affected businesses face uneven circumstances. “Small and medium enterprises have funds that will help them rebuild the business, restructure the business,” he said [Translated from Spanish]. The president stressed that assistance would target small and medium entrepreneurs specifically, not larger corporations.
Moltó detailed the coordination effort, explaining that MICI teams will visit companies in the field to analyze their situations and determine how institutional aid can be most effectively distributed. The data unification process with Fedecamaras aims to prevent duplication and ensure resources reach verified damage sites.
Tourism Sector Recovery and Hotel Damage
The Panama Tourism Authority is holding separate meetings with hotel operators, particularly those whose properties sustained structural damage. Mulino said the goal is to contribute to the sector’s recovery while acknowledging that tourism continues to receive visitors despite the earthquake’s impact.
The president expressed confidence that the tourism industry would recover substantially through its own activity, but reiterated that government assistance would still flow to affected small and medium business owners. This dual approach combines market-driven recovery with targeted public intervention.
Housing Reconstruction and International Donations
Mulino highlighted Panama’s solidarity response, noting donations from companies, international cooperation, and contributions earmarked for rebuilding affected zones. Resources from large international firms are being channeled through two trusts, one at Banco Nacional de Panamá and another at Caja de Ahorros, to finance reconstruction and other assistance.
Some business leaders have offered to build homes for displaced families, with contributions ranging from groups of 10, 25, or 50 houses. These constructions follow standardized blueprints to maintain uniform models. “I feel the country has responded wonderfully,” Mulino said [Translated from Spanish]. Infrastructure reconstruction work is advancing, and some homes are nearing completion, according to the president.