https://www.laestrella.com.pa/economia/220222/gabinete-turistico-pedasi-invierte-24-5-millones-ejecucion-proyectos

With the aim of raising the region’s tourism potential and the population’s quality of life, the Tourism Office in Pedasí has ​​invested $24,573,244.83 for the execution of projects.

According to the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), to date, they already have progress and completion in the following works, such as:

• The Pedasí Highway, Los Puestas – Cañas, with a length of 40.61 kilometers. This road that connects the districts of Pedasí and Tonosí will benefit more than 14,500 people, and will also significantly boost tourism in this region, livestock and agriculture.
• Likewise, the works of a landfill were completed, with two trenches for temporary discharge and a leachate pond with a capacity for 1,200 m3 for the final disposal of waste. Approximately 15,000 locals will benefit from this project. Pedasí head, Purio, Mariabé, Los Seats and Oria Arriba are some of the communities that will be able to use this landfill.
•  The project to improve some components of the Pedasí drinking water supply system, which will facilitate supply to 3,705 inhabitants, is another of the completed projects.
• More than 98% complete is the electrification project, the Three-Phase Medium Voltage Line from Los Santos to Pedasí, which will provide greater supply capacity and improve the reliability of the system, the quality and stability of the public electricity service.
• There are projects in the award stages, such as the rehabilitation of the Boulevard entrance to Las Tablas and the bypass via Pedasí, and in the bidding stage for the first quarter of 2022, the Pasarela and Pontón Pier in Isla Cañas.

As for the projects executed by the Inter-American Development Bank, four were presented, among them: The study and design of the Alternative Mobility Modes project, which includes the rehabilitation of the Central Plaza, its adjoining streets, speed control of the avenue main with a bike lane from the center of Pedasí to El Arenal beach and another to El Toro beach.

The Cabinet also installed the first Tourism Destination Management Committee (CGD) in the Pedasí district, Los Santos province, which will be made up of the public and private sectors.

The coordinator of the ATP-IDB unit, Elizabeth Cedeño, announced that with the Panama Maritime Authority and the Ministry of the Environment, a technical table has been worked on to carry out studies on El Arenal beach and Isla Iguana to see if it is feasible to locate the construction of a pier in these places of high demand for tourists and visitors.

Added to this is the integrated solid waste management project to position Pedasí as a completely clean destination and improvements will be made to the Pedasí Visitors Center.

In addition, the ATP toured the Pedasí and Venao oxidation vats and talks were held with the Tourism Office for the articulation of resources to carry out improvements in these vats, as well as for the support of the SUME project, which plans to have with the ambulance service in Pedasí.

It also inspected, together with other authorities, the La Candelaria runway, in Pocrí, to evaluate the possibility of its transfer to a destination where larger capacity planes can arrive; Subsequently, the ATP held a meeting at CEFATI with the Air Connectivity Commission, with representatives of the Panama Chamber of Tourism and with local investors in Playa Venao, to address issues around economic reactivation and job creation.

Eskildsen was very optimistic about the progress in the development of this priority destination according to the master plan. “Working as a team between the public and private sectors, increasingly significant advances will be achieved,” he said.