The National Board of Directors of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) expressed its rejection of Bill 163, arguing that the initiative represents a threat to the public nature of the Social Security Fund (CSS). However, the party’s statements have been described by some as a combination of cynicism and demagoguery.
The PRD maintains that “the public nature of the Social Security Fund is non-negotiable and must be maintained as the central axis of any legislative reform,” insinuating that the project presented by the Executive Branch could imply privatization. However, article 3 of the aforementioned project clearly establishes that the CSS is “non-privatizable,” reaffirming its status as a State entity and ensuring that the services it provides cannot be interrupted. Criticism of the PRD intensifies when remembering its five-year management in government, where, according to analysts, they left a legacy of ineptitude and corruption in the management of the CSS.
In this context, President José Raúl Mulino has been in charge of facing the challenges that arise from the inherited institutional crisis, with the responsibility of untangling what many consider a skein of accumulated problems. The debate on making the retirement age more flexible is presented as an urgent issue that requires immediate attention.
Ignoring this situation could lead to more serious consequences in the future, and President Mulino has reiterated that the proposed reform “is not written in stone,” opening the door to a dialogue that has reportedly been elusive by the PRD. The party’s stance has been criticized for its tendency to reject the Bill without offering viable alternatives, which is perceived as an attempt to gain political capital ahead of the next election.
Prolonging the legislative debate could generate greater uncertainty and stall the solution to the crisis facing the CSS, which has been the subject of discussion for years without concrete results. We call on all political parties and deputies to join in a historic effort to provide Panamanians with the tranquility and social security they deserve. The proposal presented must be analyzed openly, and legislators have the historical responsibility to find solutions that address the root crisis of the country’s social security system.
