Bill 609.

Summary.

The bill establishes a framework for comprehensive disaster risk management in the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) to protect life, personal safety, property, and the environment. It would apply to public sector entities while respecting the powers of local governments and autonomous and semi autonomous entities. It defines system activation, coordination among institutions, operational leadership, and personnel certification. It covers natural disasters; health emergencies requiring the location, evacuation, or assistance of people; air, maritime, and land accidents; infrastructure collapses; missing persons; and environmental emergencies. Its operation would be technical and operational and would not replace the declaration of a state of emergency under Article 55 of the Political Constitution (Constitución Política).

The system’s principles include continuing training, shared responsibility among the State, society, and the private sector, ongoing risk assessment, resource allocation, prevention, and protection. Activation of search and rescue operations would involve notification, an initial assessment, and deployment of resources. Actions would be documented and subject to evaluation, oversight, and audit. Leadership at an incident site would fall to qualified personnel with the greatest accredited experience and technical knowledge, while preserving each entity’s institutional hierarchy. The bill recognizes an interconnected system of policies, plans, rules, institutions, and resources, coordinated under existing civil protection and security legislation.

Municipalities and Indigenous comarcas would incorporate disaster risk management into development and land use plans. The State would promote research, training, and technical advice by universities, research centers, and experts, while respecting university autonomy. It would also encourage the participation of communities and civil organizations. Public entities would incorporate disaster risk into their plans, programs, and projects. Information on risks and disasters would be public, subject to statutory exceptions. Educational programs, awareness campaigns, and training for the population are envisaged. During emergencies, institutions would act together under their legal powers and existing protocols. Rehabilitation and recovery would focus on resilient reconstruction and reducing future risk.

The bill creates the Technical and Operational Committee of the National Disaster and Emergency Risk Management System (Comité Técnico y Operativo del Sistema Nacional de Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres y Emergencias). Its duties would be to design, update, and oversee the system; certify qualified operational personnel; assess operations; and coordinate training. An expert selected from the operational entities by the Ministry of Government (Ministerio de Gobierno) would chair it. The bill lists its participating entities and requires operational entities to ensure that at least 80% of their operational personnel receive annual training in search and rescue, first aid, and specialized equipment. The State would allocate resources for equipment, training, and emergency communications. The committee could enter into agreements with international organizations and foreign governments.

Citizens and nongovernmental organizations could take part in operations if they meet the committee’s training and certification requirements. The Ministry of Education (Ministerio de Educación), together with the Technical Committee (Comité Técnico), would run campaigns on emergency prevention and response. Operational entities that fail to comply would face administrative sanction proceedings under the implementing regulations. The bill describes itself as a framework law that complements existing special laws on risk management and civil protection without repealing or amending them. It assigns rulemaking to the Executive Branch and provides that the law would take effect on the day after its promulgation.

Related public entities include the National Civil Protection System (Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil), Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud), Ministry of Environment (Ministerio de Ambiente), Ministry of Public Works (Ministerio de Obras Públicas), Meritorious Fire Department of the Republic of Panama (Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos de la República de Panamá), Social Security Fund (Caja de Seguro Social), National Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (Instituto de Acueductos y Alcantarillados Nacionales), Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Contraloría General de la República), and Ombudsman’s Office (Defensoría del Pueblo). Its provisions would also concern municipal and comarca planning, universities, communities, civil organizations, and electricity companies.