Cobre Panama inaugurates pedestrian bridge over the San Juan River, Special District Omar Torrijos Herrera

– Approximately 1,800 people will benefit
– This project was carried out with 80% local labor.

Panama, September 12, 2023 – As part of its Community Infrastructure Program and with the objective of allowing safe passage for members of the community of San Juan de Turbe and surrounding areas, Cobre Panama, together with local authorities and members of the community, inaugurated the pedestrian bridge over the San Juan River, located in the community of San Juan de Turbe, Omar Torrijos Herrera Special District, province of Colón.

For the Honorable Alternate Representative, Eusebio Hernandez, “this project represents a great step forward, we thank Cobre Panama and urge them to continue working together”.

This concrete and steel infrastructure is approximately 65 meters long and 1.5 meters wide, with a height of 7.8 meters above river level, and represents a dream come true for the residents of this area.

According to Engineer José Spina, of the company Desarrollo, Inversiones y Equipos Patria, S.A., in charge of the work, “the characteristics of this bridge were established according to the studies of the annual floods of the San Juan River, so that its foundations and anchorages represent a safe passage for its users”.

The teacher Ramón Vergara, Director of the San Juan de Turbe School, indicated that “this work will be of great benefit to the community and will provide safety for the children to come to school. It has been a long awaited project that today becomes a reality thanks to Cobre Panama’s investment”.

This bridge will benefit approximately 1,800 people living in the communities of San Juan Centro, Limón, Parmarazo, La Rica, Hacha, Sector Fardal, Sector Tolloza and San Juan de Turbe.

The inauguration of the bridge was attended by local authorities, representatives of the communities benefiting from the project and representatives of Cobre Panama.

Miguel Jaén, Cobre Panama’s Community Affairs Superintendent, said: “We have delivered a project 100% financed by Cobre Panama. We have materialized our commitment to this community and reiterated the company’s commitment to the communities around the mine”.

The construction of this bridge is part of a project that also includes the development of access roads to the bridge on each side of the river, which amounts to more than B/. 450,000.00 approximately and where 80% of local labor was hired.

In order to foster the development of its neighboring communities, Cobre Panama implements its social investment based on five pillars: community relations, education, health and wellness, community infrastructure and socioeconomic development.