Bill 602.

Summary.

The bill recognizes the National Folklore Festival of the Toro Galán of La Chorrera, to be held annually in September for the anniversary of the distrito de La Chorrera, in the provincia Panamá Oeste. Its purposes are to preserve and publicize the district’s folklore, strengthen Panamanian dance traditions with international reach, and honor the creative and teaching legacy of Candelaria Carrasco, known as “Mami” Chacón. Its objectives include participation by cultural groups and tradition bearers, public access to cultural activities, and folklore education through live performances, talks, workshops, courses, symposia, and forums. It also addresses the protection of natural areas and places associated with collective memory, tourism, family participation, and opportunities for local entrepreneurs, artisans, producers, and artists.

The Foundation for the Development of Vernacular Culture of La Chorrera (Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Cultura Vernacular de La Chorrera) would remain responsible for organizing the festival. It would safeguard the property it administers, conduct activities under the policies of the Ministry of Culture of Panama (Ministerio de Cultura de Panamá), submit its work and management plan for review and approval, facilitate oversight of resources, and publish the activity calendar and information on their use. Festival assets could be increased through property, inheritances, bequests, donations, public and private contributions, event revenue, and returns on resources. The bill adds the National and International Gathering of Devils and Bulls “Mami Chacón” as a cultural exchange. The foundation could request facilities of the Ministry of Education of Panama (Ministerio de Educación de Panamá) and the Panamanian Sports Institute (Instituto Panameño de Deportes) in the distrito de La Chorrera for temporary accommodation of participants, subject to each institution’s administrative procedures.

The Ministry of Culture (Ministerio de Cultura) and the Panama Tourism Authority (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá) would include festival publicity in their cultural and tourism plans and arrange exchanges with national and international groups. The festival would receive support from national, municipal, local, and public security authorities, the private sector, and the community. The Ministry of Culture would allocate thirty thousand balboas (B/. 30,000) annually for the celebration, while the Panama Tourism Authority would provide an annual tourism promotion appropriation; each amount would be restricted to its stated purpose. Both appropriations would enter the budget for the fiscal year following promulgation. The foundation would account for public and private resources, send an annual funding report to the Comptroller General of the Republic of Panama (Contraloría General de la República de Panamá) within the two months following the festival, and present an activities report to the Municipal Council of La Chorrera (Concejo Municipal de La Chorrera) within no more than two months. The Comptroller could conduct audits, inspections, and cash counts with or without advance notice. The proposed law would take effect the day after promulgation.

The provisions concern the cultural, tourism, education, sports, municipal, and oversight bodies named above. They could also affect folklore groups, students, researchers, artists, artisans, producers, entrepreneurs, and tourism businesses in the area.