The Varela administration's budget for next year includes $4.032 billion for the City of Health and new polyclinics, Metro Lines 2 and 3, and construction of road works, such as the Santiago-David highway.
The budget presented by the Ministry of Economy and Finance in Panama includes several items for public investment projects, which together amount to just over $4 billion, according to the institution's budget report.
As well as approval for financing of its construction in February, an environmental permit has now been granted to develop the Metro line that will reach Panama West.
Progress of the project has now been consolidated now that along with funding,which was approved in February, approval has been given to the Environmental Impact Study, which states that"... the line will occupy 160 hectares in its area of influence, of which 42 hectares possess vegetation".
The government has endorsed the first loan from the Japanese cooperation of $262 million to finance technical and financial studies for Line 3 of the Panama Metro.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of Panama:
The Cabinet Council authorized on Tuesday the signing of a loan agreement between Panama and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the amount of up to 29,575 million Japanese yen ($262.102.448.23) for the "Project Line 3 Urban transport for the Metropolitan area of Panama ".
The launch of a tender for its construction is still scheduled for early 2017 and the line will run parallel to the fourth bridge over the Panama Canal.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of Panama:
The presidents of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, and Japan, Shinzo Abe, will preside this April 18th in Tokyo, over the signing of the financing and project management of the construction of Line 3 of the Metro de Panama going towards the province of Panama Oeste, a work which is expected to be started at the beginning of 2017 and to be completed in 2022.
The Master Plan includes 90 stations to provide transport service for Panama City and its metropolitan area: San Miguelito, Arraiján and La Chorrera.
The director of the Panama Metro, Roberto Roy presented the master plan for the Metro which proposes a network of eight lines planned for 2040, which includes line 1 which is in operation and line 2, which is under construction.
A video released by the Metro Department shows details of the project which has the potential to enhance the development of an area that is already growing and whose population will have doubled by 2050.
The inclusion of the logo of the International Cooperation Agency (JICA) next to the Panama Metro Secretariat gives a certain confidence regarding the success of the realization of a work which is not only vital for the development of the area west of Panama City, but will confirm the direction of modernity that the country has turned towards since recovering the Canal in 2000.
The Cabinet Council has authorized Metro de Panamá S.A. to acquire 100% stake in Mass Transit Panama SA.
From a statement issued by the Presidency of Panama:
Government advances in the process of transforming the mass transit system
- Cabinet authorizes Metro de Panamá to acquire Transporte Masivo de Panamá, S.A. SA (Mi Bus).
Following the agreement reached with companies Fábrica Nacional de Autopartes (Fanalca) and Felgate Enterprise, owner of 100% of the shares of Transporte Masivo de Panamá S.A. (TMPSA), concessionaire and operator of Mi Bus, the Cabinet authorized Metro de Panamá S.A. (MPSA), to carry out the process to acquire 100% of these shares.
The government plans to tender the construction of fifteen new Metro stops in the remainder of this year and in 2016, which will require an investment of $85 million.
The Goals Secretariat of the Presidency is carrying out studies to define the location of the new "pay zones", which will be added to the 19 which are currently in operation.
Carlos Duboy, executive secretary of Goals, said in an article in Prensa.com that "...
In exchange for "soft" financing conditions, the Japanese company would be in charge of the electromechanical works of Metro Line 3.
Although negotiations between the two governments have not yet been finalised, the participation of a Japanese company in the execution of electromechanical works of the project is the condition for China to grant funding for the entire project.
The Panametro consortium made up of the Chinese company CHEC and the Spanish Corsán-Corviam, have filed a claim over the award of the work to Consorcio Linea 2, for a price of $1.857 billion.
Although no details were given regarding the reasons behind the claim, the consortium made up of China Harbour Engineering Company, China Railway First Group and the Spanish Corsán-Corviam submitted to the Directorate General of Public Procurement a claim, permitted in the tender conditions "... as a first resort, and secondly a challenge, which requires a deposit of 15% of the financial proposal of the unsatisified consortium."
With an offer of $1.857 million, the same consortium that was in charge the development of Line 1, has emerged as the winner of the tender for the design and construction of Metro Line 2.
Besides Odebrecht and FCC, the consortium UTE PANAM II, consisting of Dragados SA (Spain), Ingenieros Civiles Asociados SA de CV (Mexico) and Grana y Montero SA (Peru) bid in the tender for the construction of Line 2, and their proposal received a score of 317 points in the first evaluation, after bids were opened.
Three consortiums made up of Chinese, Spanish, Peruvian, Brazilian and Mexican companies submitted bids for the design and construction of Line 2 of the Panama Metro.
From a statement issued by the Metro Department of Panama:
The Metro de Panama SA this morning received proposals from three consortia aspiring build Line 2 of the Panama Metro.
For the second time the Panama Metro Secretariat has extended the deadline for interested companies to submit bids, moving it to February 12, 2015.
From a statement issued by the Metro de Panama:
After a request from companies interested in submitting proposals for the Best Value Separate Evaluation Tender for the construction of Line 2 of the Panama Metro the deadline for submitting technical and financial proposals, which was Friday 30th January 2015, has been extended.
At the request of the companies taking part in the contest, the Metro Secretary has extended the deadline for submission of bids for line 2.
The deadline for submitting financial bids to participate in the tender process for Line 2 of the Panama Metro has been postponed until January 30, 2015.
Among the businesses from Europe, Latin America and Asia interested in building the Metro line 2 of Panama are the Spanish company FCC Construcción and the Costa Rican company MECO.
From a statement issued by the Panama Metro Secretariat:
On September 29, the Panama Metro Secretariat toured the proposed route with prospective bidders. The visit, which was attended by representatives of just over 40 companies, aimed to inform potential bidders about the site which is the environment in which the project is to be developed, and obtain a better picture of the advantages and difficulties of its route.