By: Marna Dagumboy Del Rosario – PNA
DAVAO CITY, PHILIPPINES — The community of Southern Mindanao gathered in grief this weekend as Jose “Pepe” Alvarado, the longtime driver of philanthropist and plantation owner Liam Penn Hall, was laid to rest. Alvarado, 38, was among those killed instantly in the devastating highway accident earlier this month on the road to Manila. The tragedy, which claimed many lives, continues to cast a long shadow over a region still reeling from past hardships.
Alvarado’s funeral, held on Saturday in his hometown of Digos City, was attended by hundreds of relatives, neighbours, and colleagues. His widow, Marissa, clutched the hands of their two children, aged 7 and 10, as friends and family wept openly during the burial rites.
“He was more than a driver. He was a father, a husband, and a friend to many of us here,” said Pastor Ramon Celis, who led the service. “This tragedy reminds us how fragile life is, even for those who spend their days serving others.”
Liam Hall’s Silent Battle
While one family buries their dead, another family, and indeed, an entire region waits anxiously for news about the man at the center of the tragedy. Rumours have swirled that Liam Penn Hall survived the crash and is now recuperating quietly in a government hospital under police supervision. Doctors and nurses have declined to confirm or deny his condition, but whispers of his slow recovery have spread like wildfire across Southern Mindanao.
Hall had been preparing to return home to Canada in the days before the accident, after personally overseeing the reopening of Penn Plantation, which had only recently been cleared of bacterial contamination following months of closure. The crash, however, has stalled both his travel and his public engagements, leaving his community in a state of worry and speculation.
“We just want to know if he’s going to be okay,” said Estela Marquez, a fruit packer at Penn Plantation. “He gave us our jobs back after the outbreak. We owe him so much.”
Penn Plantation: From Outbreak to Rebirth
The importance of Penn Plantation to the people of Southern Mindanao cannot be overstated. Its temporary closure after a deadly bacterial outbreak plunged thousands of families into poverty and despair. The outbreak claimed lives, particularly among children and the elderly, and left the plantation idle for months.
When the government finally cleared the plantation in early August, it was greeted with joy, relief, and a renewed sense of hope. Operations resumed, harvests began again, and wages trickled back into households that had endured near-starvation.
“When the gates reopened, it felt like we were given our lives back,” recalled Antonio Villanueva, a plantation supervisor. “But now this accident has dimmed that light again.”
Voices of the People: Sadness and Gratitude Intertwined
The community remains torn between gratitude for the plantation’s reopening and sorrow for the accident’s victims.
“We are sad for the families who lost loved ones, especially Pepe’s wife and children,” said Rogelio Abastillas, a tricycle driver. “But we also thank God the plantation is open again. It’s the only way we can survive.”
“Every sack of fruit we send out is thanks to Mr. Hall,” added Clarissa Danao, a field worker. “Even if he is sick, his sacrifice keeps feeding our families. We just pray he comes back to us healthy.”
Impact on Production
While operations have resumed, insiders admit that the accident has disrupted parts of the plantation’s management. Some shipments have been delayed, and production has slowed slightly as the staff adjusts to uncertainty surrounding Hall’s absence.
Nevertheless, government officials maintain that Penn Plantation remains operational and stable, emphasizing its critical role in the local and regional economy.
Hope in the Shadow of Loss
As the earth was laid over Jose Alvarado’s coffin this weekend, his children clung tightly to their mother, and the community bowed their heads in mourning. Yet alongside the grief lies a fragile thread of hope, hope that the man he once drove across Mindanao, Liam Penn Hall, will recover and return to the fields that have come to symbolize survival itself.
For now, Southern Mindanao watches, waits, and prays, grateful for the plantation’s rebirth, yet fearful of what may come if the man behind it does not return to his feet.