One month after the earthquake of Friday 9 October 2026, Panama’s government is asking survivors for patience while it plans at least 2,700 new homes. For Macaracas, a district in Los Santos province on the Azuero peninsula in south-central Panama, we found no published rebuilding schedule.
Panama is home to the Panama Canal and to a large foreign community, so the pace of recovery matters for travel, property and business plans. The first homes are targeted for before the end of 2026.
- What: President José Raúl Mulino asked quake survivors for patience on 4 November 2026.
- Plan: at least 2,700 homes, after 1,400 more were ordered on 27 October 2026.
- Timeline: first homes targeted before end-2026; more than 2,000 by March 2027, say officials.
- Scale: more than 13,000 homes were inspected nationwide by 27 October 2026.
- Power Index: Panama ranks 11th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 33.3 points (November 2026 edition).
- As of 9 November 2026, 06:00 GMT
In plain English: The housing ministry (Miviot, or Ministerio de Vivienda y Ordenamiento Territorial) is led by Minister Jaime Jované. The Comptroller General is the state audit office, and the Banco Nacional de Panamá is the state-owned bank.
What the Government Has Promised
Speaking on Wednesday 4 November 2026, Mulino said survivors remain in the government’s thoughts and asked for trust and patience as work advances. He said the aim is to hand over the first homes before the end of 2026 so that families can leave the shelters.
The new homes will be permanent and built to resist future quakes. Families will stay in temporary housing next to their own plots while the land is cleared of rubble, according to Jované.
On Tuesday 27 October the president said the state would build 1,400 homes on top of 1,300 already under construction, for 2,700 in total. The homes will go up in Coclé, Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos, and the total will grow as inspections continue.
How the Money Is Moving
Trusts at the Banco Nacional de Panamá and the Caja de Ahorros savings bank can now finance the contractors. A working group of the Comptroller General, the Economy Ministry and the Banco Nacional was to start on 28 October, with the housing ministry invited, to cut red tape.
Jované said more contractors have been signed up, and that the aim is to finish more than 2,000 of the planned homes by March 2027. See our earlier reports on the two reconstruction trusts and the credit line for quake-hit firms.
What We Know About Macaracas
Early reports of 15 October said residents of Macaracas and Llano de Piedra had lost their homes, and described damage to police and fire stations, a rural hospital and schools. We do not have a confirmed count of damaged homes in the district.
Official announcements so far cover the four provinces as a whole. We found no published rebuilding schedule specific to Macaracas.
What It Means for You
Homeowners and renters in affected areas should register their damage with the housing ministry and keep photos and documents. Visitors to the Azuero region should check conditions locally before travelling.
Investors and insurers should note that the dates are government targets, not guarantees. Delays are possible when thousands of homes are built at once.
What Is Not Known
We do not know how many Macaracas families are on the rebuilding list or when work will start in the district. It is also unclear whether tenants who lost rented homes qualify for a new house.
More: Panama news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many homes is Panama building after the quake?
The government plans at least 2,700 homes, after the president ordered 1,400 more on 27 October 2026. The total may rise as inspections continue.
When will the new homes be ready?
The president aims to hand over the first homes before the end of 2026. The housing minister aims to finish more than 2,000 of the planned homes by March 2027.
Where did the 9 October earthquake do most damage?
The Azuero region, including Los Santos, was among the hardest hit. New homes are planned in Coclé, Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos.
Sources: Panama’s Presidency, press conferences of 27 October and 4 November 2026, and statements by Housing Minister Jaime Jované; early local reports from Macaracas of 15 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error