The National Assembly's Committee on Public Infrastructure and Canal Affairs approved Bill 716 in first debate, with amendments, on October 28, 2026, and cleared it for second debate. The bill creates the National Program of Serviced Social-Interest Lots. Deputy Graciela Hernández, of circuit 8-4, filed the initiative on August 5, 2026 as Draft Bill 114, and the committee adopted it on September 9.

Its article 1 sets the goal of facilitating legal access to land for the primary home of lower-income families, promoting orderly urban development and helping prevent illegal land occupations. Article 2 assigns the program to the Ministry of Housing and Land Management (MIVIOT), which will plan, prepare and sell land suitable for residential use. Article 3 creates a Bank of Serviced Lots with state land or land that can be legally incorporated, and article 4 requires each lot to have internal streets, access to public roads, drinking water, electricity and sanitary and storm drainage systems.

Article 5 defines as beneficiaries Panamanian individuals or families who do not own a home, meet socioeconomic requirements and do not apply to social-interest housing programs. Article 6 allows the lots to be sold at social-interest prices, with installment payments and agreements with public or private financial institutions. Article 7 prohibits selling, assigning or transferring the lot during the period set by the regulations, and article 9 orders a periodic assessment of demand by province, district and township.

The program targets families currently left out of housing subsidies, who could build in stages on land with title and services. For banks and cooperatives, the agreements under article 6 could open a credit line for lot purchases; for land-development companies and building-material suppliers, preparing the land could generate demand, although the text does not regulate how those works will be contracted.

The effect depends on several steps. The bill must clear second and third debate and receive the Executive's approval; article 10 allows 180 days to issue regulations, and article 6 makes financing subject to budget availability. The amendments approved in committee have not yet been published. Nexo Capital will follow its debate on the floor.

Research assisted by Sentinel, with editorial verification of official sources. Discover Legislat.ai