Vacations; Events that the Regional Disaster Response and Humanitarian Assistance Simulation will recreate in Panama; Social Security Fund (CSS) and Ministry of Health (Minsa) Recommend the Use of Masks due to Influenza Cases; Ministry of Foreign Affairs Informs that Panamanian Citizens Can Travel to Canada Without a Visa; My English Teacher Mr Gabriel.

Friday, June 09, 2023 We’re all traveling around the Midwest right now, visiting moms, entertaining sisters, riding bike trails, getting the flu, eating cheese curds and getting in a Packers game. Enjoy this week’s newsletter and check out End Notes catch a bit from my scholarly past. TOP NEWS and TIDBITS: Yoli’s Wisdom WHAT EVENTS WILL THE REGIONAL SIMULATION RECREATE IN PANAMA? The passage of a tropical wave will be one of the events that will be simulated. The III Regional Simulation of Disaster Response and Humanitarian Assistance should not disrupt the regular performance of daily tasks, clarified the Ministry of Government on Wednesday. According to the institution, from June 13th to 16th, regular work and classes will continue as scheduled. The Joint Task Force has taken the necessary measures to ensure that the simulation does not disrupt the country\’s activities. The event will simulate a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, a tropical wave, a cyber attack, and a biological threat. For this purpose, there will be various scenarios with collapsed structures, building fires, hydrocarbon spills, and water rescues. \”We urge the population to remain calm and undisturbed, and to follow the recommendations and guidelines of the participating experts,\” the statement reads. These evacuation exercises will be carried out only in pre-selected locations starting at 12:05 noon, beginning on Tuesday, June 13th, at schools, hospitals, and government institutions that have been previously trained. The evacuation processes will be supervised by members of the Joint Task Force, who will guide the participants in the exercises. Likewise, prepared and trained communities from the provinces of Chiriquí, Coclé, Darién, and Herrera will also participate, after undergoing six months of preparation. \”Messages will be sent to cell phones. Alerts will be activated for the first time through a program that has received significant investment,\” commented the Minister of Government, Roger Tejada. The purpose of the simulation is to test mechanisms, tools, and technical guidelines for emergency response in disasters. READ HERE: ¿QUÉ EVENTOS RECREARÁ EN PANAMÁ EL SIMULACRO REGIONAL? CORTIZO HONORS FIVE PANAMANIANS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE COUNTRY\’S DEVELOPMENT Cortizo presented the recognition to the writer Álvaro Menéndez Franco. A group of five Panamanians received the General Victoriano Lorenzo Medal for their contributions to the country\’s development, presented by President Laurentino Cortizo on Wednesday, June 7. The medals were awarded during a ceremony held at the Belisario Porras Palace, the headquarters of the Governor\’s Office in the province of Panama. The recognition was received by Álvaro Menéndez Franco and Adán Ríos, while posthumously awarded to Idian Reiss Flores, better known as Sor Lourdes, Haralambos Bobby Tzanetatos, and Evangelos Koumanis. Cortizo emphasized that all of them are, and have been, Panamanian citizens whose lives have contributed to the human and economic growth of the country. \”I have had the opportunity to know some of those who are being honored today, some who are present here and others who live in our memories and in our hearts,\” said the President. He added, \”It is truly gratifying to reward these five compatriots with the honors bestowed upon them by the homeland, and with the recognition and gratitude of the citizens for their contributions to the nation.\” In his remarks, Cortizo referred to Menéndez Franco as an intellectual with great militancy, a tireless warrior with a deep passion for all things Panamanian. Regarding Ríos, it was highlighted that he was an outstanding doctor and oncologist, proudly raised in the El Chorrillo neighborhood, who has made significant contributions in the fight against cancer and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). As for Tzanetatos, the President highlighted his humanitarian vocation, his big heart, and social vision, always thinking about the common good. Cortizo recalled that Sor Lourdes dedicated her life with great devotion to caring for children in vulnerable conditions, providing them with a home and opportunities for their development. Regarding Koumanis, he described him as a joyful, supportive, selfless man with unwavering principles and values. \”He was an example of what can be achieved through entrepreneurship, effort, and sacrifice, contributing to the construction of a better society,\” he said. READ HERE: CORTIZO CONDECORA A CINCO PANAMEÑOS POR SU CONTRIBUCIÓN AL DESARROLLO DEL PAÍS USE OF MASKS: THE REASON WHY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND THE SOCIAL SECURITY FUND RECOMMEND IT Due to cases of influenza, the Social Security Fund (CSS) and the Ministry of Health (MINSA) recommend the use of masks. The Ministry of Health (MINSA) and the Social Security Fund (CSS) have made a recommendation to the public regarding the use of masks due to the increase in influenza cases in the country. The entities are carrying out mass vaccination campaigns in different parts of the country and have administered thousands of doses to prevent the spread of the virus. \”In light of the increase in AH1N1 influenza cases in the country, health authorities inform that the mandatory use of masks remains in effect in all healthcare facilities and for patients with chronic diseases, as established by Executive Decree No. 101 of July 1, 2022,\” states the communication. Dr. Yelkys Gill, National Executive Director of Health Services and Benefits, emphasized that the use of masks will be essential in the following cases: The authorities reiterate that the population must maintain the biosecurity measures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as constant hand washing, the use of masks in crowded places, by individuals aged 60 and above, and by chronic patients to prevent contagion. READ HERE: USO DE MASCARILLAS: LA RAZÓN POR QUE EL MINSA Y LA CSS LO RECOMIENDAN \”CIUDAD DE LA SALUD WILL BE DELIVERED IN ADVANCE, CSS REPORTS Ciudad de la Salud. The Social Security Fund (CSS) reported that they are preparing for an early delivery of the Ciudad de la Salud (City of Health) according to the agreed-upon date in the contract, as confirmed by Engineer Rogelio Robles, the project manager of Ciudad de la Salud. They hope that the phases could be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2023. In the follow-up meeting,

Writer’s block; This Weekend There Will Be a Nationwide Massive Vaccination Campaign; Tropical Wave No. 1: Rain Surveillance Advisory Issued; Government Signs and Publishes Decree in Official Gazette Regarding Firefighters’ Promotions; These are Some of the Best Writing Tips I\’ve Seen.

Friday, June 02, 2023 Writer\’s block sucks.  It’s a good thing, I’m not a writer, eh?  This morning I had the opportunity to talk with two teachers from my boys’ school.  Both of them got bad grades on a final this semester and they requested a meeting with me.  With me??  Why me?  I’m the dad, go talk to the mom!  Anyways, we talked and I was intent on getting down to solving the problem.  But what I got out of the meeting was something better.  They both painted a picture of my kids as being good boys, very respectful and good natured in general.  Yes, I care about their grades, but screw that!  The best point of my day has been listening to someone of authority talk about how awesome my boys are (other than one bad test).  So I’m floating on cloud 9 today and no-one can take that away from me, not even writer’s block… TOP NEWS and TIDBITS: Yoli’s Wisdom GOVERNMENT DECLARES STATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY Government declares State of Environmental Emergency. On Tuesday, May 30th, the State of Environmental Emergency was declared by the National Government in a Cabinet Council, due to the prolonged dry season experienced by the country. The climatic conditions affecting the world, such as high temperatures, evaporation, and lack of rainfall, are a prelude to the possible arrival of El Niño phenomenon, as reported by the Ministry of Environment. The Western region, located in the province of Chiriquí and a center of agricultural production in the country, is forecasted to experience a decrease in rainfall. Prior to the approval of the State of Environmental Emergency, a presentation on \”Scenarios of Climate Change: Vision 2030, 2050, and 2070\” was given to the State ministers by Dr. Ligia Castro, Director of Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment, and Eng. Berta Alicia Olmedo, Deputy Director of the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology. The Ministry of Agricultural Development, Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers, Ministry of Environment, National Authority of Public Services, and the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Panama are the authorized entities to carry out the necessary special contracts to address the State of Environmental Emergency, according to the approved resolution. READ HERE: GOBIERNO DECLARA ESTADO DE EMERGENCIA AMBIENTAL PANAMA CANAL DOES NOT RULE OUT EXTREME MEASURES DUE TO DROUGHT The Panama Canal, as an extreme measure, would have to limit the transit of ships. The administrator of the Panama Canal, Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, stated in a statement released on Thursday that, if the drought continues in the Central American country, they will have to decide, as an \”extreme measure,\” to limit daily transits through the canal from the current 36 vessels to a maximum of 28. \”The Panama Canal, as an extreme measure, would have to make the decision to limit the number of transits through the Panama Canal. Let\’s see what this means: currently, we transit between 35 and 36 vessels per day. We would have to reduce it to 32 to 28, those are extreme situations,\” Vásquez said in a video. This announcement comes in the same week when the Panamanian government declared a state of environmental emergency due to the prolongation of the dry season, which is causing water supply problems. The measure is based on the fact that high temperatures, evaporation, and lack of rainfall are precursors to the possible arrival of an El Niño phenomenon. The artificial lakes of Alhajuela and Gatun, which supply water to over half of the country\’s population and the Panama Canal, \”have been drastically reduced due to the prolongation of the dry season,\” according to the government\’s report. Years of warning The administrator of the Panama Canal, through which around 3% of global trade passes, stated that the \”climate emergency is a topic\” they have been warning about for many years. \”We simply never knew in which year a case like the one we are experiencing now would occur, but it could happen at any time. The last period of intense drought we had was in 2019-2020, and these cycles usually repeat once every five years. What we are seeing now is that it is repeating once every three years. That should alert us to the urgency,\” he emphasized. During the severe drought Panama experienced in 2019, the maximum draft in the neopanamax locks, which are used by vessels passing through the expansion inaugurated in 2016, temporarily decreased to 44 feet (13.4 meters), resulting in a drop in toll revenue. On April 19, the Panama Canal implemented its fifth draft restriction for neopanamax vessels, which are three times larger than those crossing the century-old locks, offering them a draft of 47.5 feet instead of the maximum allowed 50 feet, thus reducing cargo volume. According to Vásquez, the \”climate impact\” and its effect on water availability should be discussed, as it is a problem that affects various sectors such as agriculture and energy consumption. Guaranteeing water for 50 years In addition to ensuring that it uses \”less water per transit,\” the Panama Canal is awaiting the results of research work with which they hope to \”make a national proposal to resolve the water issue, at least in the operation of the Canal and human consumption, for the next 50 years.\” For now, one of the measures the Canal is implementing to reduce consumption, explained Vásquez, is to transfer \”water from one side of the lock to the other,\” as well as to \”schedule transits in such a way that\” they can reuse the maximum amount of water \”within each chamber to accommodate more vessels.\” The passage of ships through these locks occurs through the filling and emptying of water to allow the vessels to navigate through sections of different levels in the Canal. \”So far, transit has not been affected. The only early warning we have is the fact that fewer vessels are arriving in Panama. That is, we used to receive 40 arrivals every day, and now that number has