Construction grows 9.6 percent as reconstruction accelerates — a NAPREC perspective
Preliminary Planning Board figures show that the value of construction in Puerto Rico grew 9.6 percent in fiscal year 2026, up from 5.9 percent in fiscal 2025, driven mainly by public investment and recovery projects. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Resident Commissioner weighs reviving a plebiscite bill — a NAPREC perspective
Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández told El Nuevo Día he will evaluate reintroducing, in the next Congress, his bill for a federally binding plebiscite that includes the current territorial status, while saying he does not expect status legislation to advance. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Governor signs Puerto Rico’s request for admission — a NAPREC perspective
Governor Jenniffer González-Colón signed Joint Resolution 66-2026, formally asking Congress to admit Puerto Rico as a state and the President to support admission. Copies go to the President and every member of Congress. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Ford awards $85,000 to seven community environmental projects — a NAPREC perspective
Ford is distributing $85,000 among seven community environmental projects in Puerto Rico through the 26th edition of its Ford Environmental Grants, supporting biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, food security and waste management. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Roosevelt Roads seeks bids for FEMA-funded electrical equipment — a NAPREC perspective
The Local Redevelopment Authority for Roosevelt Roads opened RFP 27J-04242, funded by FEMA Public Assistance, for high-voltage circuit breakers, power transformers and switchgear for the electrical network of the former naval base in Ceiba. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
$13.3 million in federal health grants for Puerto Rico — a NAPREC perspective
Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández announced $13,312,817 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Puerto Rico’s Department of Health, universities and research organizations. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Senate resolution seeks a review of condominium oversight — a NAPREC perspective
Senate Resolution 618 would authorize an inquiry into condominium registration, living conditions and preparedness for power outages and water interruptions, including the new condominium database created by Act 157-2026. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Energy Bureau orders a study of 800 MW of temporary power — a NAPREC perspective
Puerto Rico’s Energy Bureau gave LUMA Energy up to eight weeks to deliver technical studies on where to connect up to 800 megawatts of new temporary generation, after LUMA identified a generation deficit of 700 to 850 megawatts. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Bipartisan bill targets Puerto Rico’s Medicare Advantage gap — a NAPREC perspective
Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Raul Ruiz and Darren Soto and Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández introduced the Puerto Rico Medicare Advantage Fairness Act, which would set Puerto Rico’s payment adjustment equal to that of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Study finds Puerto Rico’s water bills the least affordable in the nation — a NAPREC perspective
Food & Water Watch reported that typical Puerto Rico household water bills exceed 3.5% of median household income, and bills for low-income households amount to about 20% of the income cutoff for the poorest fifth of households. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Resident Commissioner to back an energy shipping exemption — a NAPREC perspective
Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández said he intends to cosponsor Rep. Ritchie Torres’s bill to exempt energy products shipped to Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska and Guam from the Jones Act. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Meta settlement spending plan remains unclear — a NAPREC perspective
The Centro de Periodismo Investigativo reported that Puerto Rico’s Justice Department has said only in general terms that at least half of the $124.7 million Meta must pay will address harm to minors, and has declined to detail how the rest will be distributed. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
NAPREC launches a bilingual equality hub — a NAPREC perspective
El Nuevo Día reported on NAPREC’s bilingual portal, which explains Puerto Rico’s representation gap and links to the election authorities of all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the territories ahead of the November 3 elections. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Bankruptcy filings rise 5.8% in September — a NAPREC perspective
Puerto Rico recorded 551 bankruptcy filings in September, up 5.8% from a year earlier, while commercial cases fell, according to Boletín de Puerto Rico. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
4 in 10 adults in Puerto Rico face food insecurity, study finds — a NAPREC perspective
The 2026 Puerto Rico Food Security Report by Espacios Abiertos, Fundación Triple-S and Nutriendo Puerto Rico found that 40.8 percent of adults experience food insecurity: 30.5 percent with low and 10.3 percent with very low food security. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Walmart breaks ground on $65 million Bayamón Supercenter — a NAPREC perspective
Walmart Puerto Rico broke ground on a $65 million Supercenter in Bayamón, its 19th store on the island, with an opening projected for the second quarter of 2028. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
House Bill 1476 proposes $5,000 credit for working caregivers — a NAPREC perspective
House Bill 1476 would create a refundable tax credit of up to $5,000 a year for daytime care, for workers responsible for people with the most significant disabilities and total dependency, to help them stay employed. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
33 municipalities lost more than 15% of their residents since 2000 — a NAPREC perspective
The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics reported that 33 of 78 municipalities lost more than 15% of their population between 2000 and 2025, led by Guánica (45.8%), Ceiba (41%) and Loíza (33.7%). Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
Resident Commissioner seeks answers on the temporary generation contract — a NAPREC perspective
Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández asked Energy Czar Josué Colón Ortiz and Osvaldo Carlo Linares, president of the Third Party Procurement Office, to explain how allegations about the temporary generation procurement were reviewed, with answers due by October 15. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.
$1 million for STEM learning labs in San Juan schools — a NAPREC perspective
Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández delivered $1,031,000 to Vimenti and three other schools in its Full-Service Community Schools program in San Juan, through a Community Project Funding request administered by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement. Original NAPREC analysis in English and Spanish.