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(CNN Spanish) --
The president of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, announced this Friday that the subsidy called digital voucher, created as economic support for the unemployed population due to the covid-19 pandemic, will be delivered for 6 more months, that is, until December 2022.
Before this announcement, the government had said that it would only be delivered until the end of this month of June.
However, it was decided to extend it, considering people in vulnerable conditions due to unemployment or informal work.
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The digital voucher is an economic support of US$ 120 that is credited to the identity card of the beneficiary, and that can be used for food, medicine and cleaning products, but that is delivered on the condition that the person has their vaccinations. against covid-19 complete, do not have a job and participate in monthly training, among others.
According to figures from the Comptroller of Panama, unemployment in the country in 2021 reached 11.3%, which is equivalent to 220,000 people without work;
and of the employed population, 47% is in the informal sector.
The Government also indicates that the Government Innovation Authority reports more than 350,000 Panamanians who have benefited from the digital voucher.