What Happened
Chiriquí’s labor market is under intense pressure as unemployment continues to rise in western Panama and thousands of residents search for stable work without leaving the province. The strain is visible in the response to Puerto Barú in David, where 20,000 résumés have been submitted through the project’s employment portal.
The strong turnout reflects the scale of the demand for formal jobs in Chiriquí, especially among professionals and young workers looking for opportunities in their own communities. Puerto Barú has become one of the clearest employment prospects in the province at a time when many families are weighing whether to stay or migrate in search of work.
Why the Numbers Matter
Data from the Observatory of the Economics Faculty at the Autonomous University of Chiriquí shows sustained migration from 2013 to 2023, with 114,095 residents leaving the province during that period. That represents more than 11% of Chiriquí’s population.
The pressure has deepened with labor-market figures for September 2025 analyzed by business consultant René Quevedo. Those figures indicate that Chiriquí lost 36,357 jobs in 2025, including 35% formal positions, with the sharpest impact felt in agriculture, retail trade, and hotels and restaurants.
For a province that has long relied on productive sectors tied to commerce, tourism, and farming, the loss of jobs in these areas is especially damaging. It reduces household income, weakens local spending, and adds more urgency to the search for new private investment.
Puerto Barú’s Role
Puerto Barú in David is positioned as the largest logistics project in Chiriquí’s history, with an investment exceeding $250 million. The project has already generated 89 direct jobs and 31 indirect jobs during its preliminary phase, and all of the labor used so far comes from Chiriquí.
When construction begins, the project is expected to create 1,200 jobs. That potential has made Puerto Barú a symbol of what large-scale investment can mean for a province facing persistent unemployment and outward migration.
What Local Business Leaders Are Saying
Felipe Vinicio Rodríguez, a Chiriquí businessman and former president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Chiriquí, says the province can no longer afford to wait for employment solutions. He points to unemployment that already exceeds 11% and growing pressure on a young population that needs real opportunities to avoid leaving the province.
Rodríguez also stressed the importance of legal certainty for projects that have completed technical processes and received approval from the relevant authorities. In his view, strategic projects such as Puerto Barú are no longer optional but necessary to stimulate the economy and strengthen the west’s connection to the national logistics network.
Broader Impact
Chiriquí ranked among the provinces with the highest unemployment in October 2024, when it reached 11.9%, behind Veraguas at 12.3% and Panama at 12.1%. That context helps explain why job openings tied to a major investment can attract such an extraordinary response.
The 20,000 résumés submitted for Puerto Barú underscore a simple reality: in Chiriquí, the demand for work is far greater than the supply. For many residents, new projects are not just economic announcements. They are one of the few visible paths to formal employment and a reason to remain in the province.