By: Teresa Montemayor – PNA
Southern Mindanao, Philippines — After months of anguish, hunger, and uncertainty, the gates of Penn Plantation finally reopened days ago to the public, and the air is thick with celebration, gratitude, and renewed hope.
Following a comprehensive fumigation effort and rigorous inspections by health authorities, the Philippine government officially issued a clearance certificate on Friday, declaring the plantation free of bacterial threats. The certification comes after a harrowing closure prompted by a deadly bacterial outbreak that claimed numerous lives across the plantation and nearby villages.
For hundreds of families who rely on the plantation for daily survival, the news felt like rain after a long drought.
“I haven’t had a proper job in four months. This plantation is not just work, it’s our lifeline,” said 42-year-old rice farmer Lina Abad from Barangay Matanao. “My children can go back to school now that we’ll have income again. The suffering has been real.”
A Return to Work, and to Life
Early Friday morning, a celebratory crowd gathered outside the main entrance of the plantation, many holding placards reading “Welcome Back, Penn” and “Thank You, Mr. Liam.” Drums echoed from a distance, and some villagers danced barefoot in the mud, a symbolic return to their roots and the land that sustains them.
Government inspectors, in a televised statement, confirmed the fumigation exercise met “all required bio-safety and environmental protocols,” assuring the public that the plantation is safe for both workers and operations.
“We took no shortcuts,” said Regional Health Director Dr. Carmelita Santos. “Given the scale of the previous outbreak, our goal was to restore confidence and safety before reopening.”
A Message from Liam Hall: Relief and Resolve
Penn Plantation owner Mr. Liam Hall, who has been on the ground in recent weeks overseeing the final cleanup efforts, expressed deep relief during a brief interview.
“This reopening means everything. I’ve seen the pain this closure caused not just to our workers, but to the entire community,” he said. “While it’s a victory today, it comes at a cost, lives lost, progress halted, and livelihoods threatened.”
Mr. Hall also noted his intention to strengthen the plantation’s biosafety protocols moving forward and mentioned plans to expand Penn Plantation’s operations in his home country of Canada, in a move he called “a backup plan to ensure sustainability, no matter what challenges arise.”
Mixed Emotions, but Hope Prevails
While the reopening was widely celebrated, some residents still express caution.
“We’re happy, but we’re also scared it might happen again,” said 27-year-old plant technician Erwin Tamayo. “We hope this time they have a plan in place in case of flooding or another outbreak.”
“The past few months were hell,” added Rita Villanueva, a single mother of three. “My children begged for food, and there was no help. But today, I can smile again.”
Economic Revival Ahead
Local businesses that depended on plantation activities, from food stalls to transport services are already seeing signs of recovery.
“Our tricycles have been parked for weeks,” said Mang Ronel, a village transport operator. “Now, people are moving again. It feels like the heartbeat of the town just restarted.”
With planting season beginning, many workers are hopeful they can make up for lost time and income.
As the community breathes a collective sigh of relief, the legacy of what they’ve endured remains a powerful reminder of the role Penn Plantation plays not only in agriculture, but in the survival and spirit of Southern Mindanao.