Summary.
The draft bill proposes declaring August 15 of each year a mandatory national holiday throughout Panama to commemorate the founding of Panama City (ciudad de Panamá). It provides for all public and private offices to close on that date. If August 15 falls on a Sunday, the celebration would remain on Sunday and Monday would also be granted as a nationwide holiday. The proposal thus keeps the commemorative date while providing an additional day off in that circumstance.
The text would permit patriotic parades in different parts of the country, featuring school and independent marching bands. The Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educación) would organize them in coordination with local authorities in each province. Every commemorative activity would also refer to the inauguration of the Panama Canal, which took place on August 15, 1914. Schools and public and private institutions would mention that historical event as part of the activities they hold for the national holiday.
During the first and second weeks of August, schools would have to conduct internal activities for their students. These would address historical events associated with the period and use them in civic education. The State would promote the central government's various commemorative activities through digital media, the press and television during the first two weeks of August each year. The draft bill would also allow commemorative activities in public and private offices on the days before August 15, so that workers could learn about the historical events associated with the date.
The office closures provided for the holiday would have an exception for public security and health offices. The text identifies the national police and hospitals among the services that would remain open to serve the public. For those working there on that day, it provides remuneration expressed in the text as “2 Yz times of work” for their working hours. The draft bill states that it would take effect upon its promulgation in the Official Gazette. Its articles do not amend or repeal another enactment.
The institutions involved in the proposal include the Ministry of Education, the State, the central government and provincial local authorities. Its provisions would also concern schools, school and independent bands, public and private offices, workers, public security and health services, digital media, the press and television. The commemorative activities concern Panama City and the Panama Canal.
What it proposes.
- Designation of August 15 as a national holiday.
- Office closures and an exception for public security and health services.
- Parades and civic education activities.
- State promotion of the commemoration.
Who it would affect.
- Public and private offices and their workers.
- Schools, students, and school and independent bands.
- Public security and health offices.
- The Ministry of Education and local authorities.
Key points.
- Declares August 15 a national holiday commemorating the founding of Panama City and provides for public and private offices to close.Art. 1
- If August 15 falls on a Sunday, keeps the celebration on that day and grants Monday as a national holiday.Art. 2
- Permits parades with school and independent bands, organized by the Ministry of Education in coordination with local authorities.Art. 3
- Includes the inauguration of the Panama Canal on August 15, 1914, in the commemoration and directs schools and institutions to mention it in their activities.Art. 4
- Provides for internal school activities during the first and second weeks of August addressing historical events and civic education.Art. 5
- Assigns the State to promote central government activities and permits commemorative events in offices before August 15.Arts. 6-7
- Excepts public security and health offices from closure so they can provide services, with remuneration for work on that day under the formula stated in the text.Art. 8
- Provides that the law would take effect upon its promulgation in the Official Gazette.Art. 9