President José Raúl Mulino has officially handed over the rehabilitated Alto Boquete–Caldera–Puente Los Valles road in the province of Chiriquí, a B/.13.5 million infrastructure project that restores 18 kilometers of roadway and directly benefits more than 9,700 people, according to the Ministry of Public Works (MOP).
What Happened
The announcement came as President Mulino delivered the completed rehabilitation project to the communities along the Alto Boquete–Caldera–Puente Los Valles corridor in Chiriquí province. The Public Works Ministry, which oversaw the works, reported a total investment of B/.13.5 million.
The project recovered 18 kilometers of road, a route that links communities in the highlands of Boquete with the town of Caldera and the Los Valles bridge area. According to MOP figures, more than 9,700 residents stand to benefit from the improved roadway, which serves both local commuters and the agricultural and tourism activity that characterizes the region.
Background
Chiriquí is one of Panama’s most economically important provinces, known for its agricultural output — including coffee, vegetables and dairy — as well as for Boquete, one of the country’s premier tourist and retirement destinations. Roads connecting Boquete’s highlands with lower-lying communities such as Caldera are vital arteries for moving produce to market and for the daily travel of thousands of residents.
Road rehabilitation has been a recurring priority for Panamanian governments, with the MOP regularly tasked with restoring deteriorating highways and rural roads across the country. Deteriorated pavement on secondary routes increases vehicle maintenance costs, travel times and safety risks for the communities that depend on them.
President Mulino, who took office in 2024, campaigned heavily on improving public infrastructure and delivering tangible results on roads, security and public services. The delivery of the Alto Boquete–Caldera–Puente Los Valles project fits within that broader push to upgrade the country’s road network, particularly in productive provinces such as Chiriquí.
What This Means for Panama
For the more than 9,700 residents along the corridor, the rehabilitated 18-kilometer stretch means improved road conditions for daily commutes, school transport and the movement of goods. Better roads in Chiriquí’s highland communities also support the province’s key economic engines — farming and tourism — by reducing transport costs and improving access for visitors heading to destinations around Boquete and Caldera.
The project is also a signal of the government’s focus on delivering infrastructure outside the capital. Investments of this scale in western Panama reflect the strategic importance of Chiriquí to the national economy and the political weight of improving conditions in the country’s interior provinces.
What to watch next: further road rehabilitation deliveries by the MOP in Chiriquí and other provinces, as the Mulino administration continues to roll out its public works agenda, and the local response to the quality and durability of the newly rehabilitated roadway.
This story was originally reported by Telemetro.