Faster containment seen in Navotas landfill fire

MANILA, Philippines — Efforts to contain the fire at the Navotas sanitary landfill have accelerated with increased resources and manpower, Mayor John Rey Tiangco said yesterday.

Tiangco said soil covering operations sped up due to the arrival of additional filling materials, intensified deployment of dump trucks and increased fuel supply.

He added that experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency conducted an exit briefing, noting that suppressing fires in steep sections of the landfill remains technically challenging.

“They recognized the rapid action and mobilization of equipment and personnel as well as the collective efforts of the local government and partner agencies, which resulted in significant progress,” Tiangco said.

The mayor said the city is pushing to form additional operational teams to expand simultaneous activities to four sections of the landfill.

The fire, which started on April 10, has affected nearby areas, with haze observed in parts of Metro Manila in recent days.

Despite this, the latest data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau showed that the air quality in Metro Manila and Meycauayan, Bulacan remained at “good to fair” levels.

Tiangco assured the public that operations would continue to be enhanced in coordination with government agencies to speed up the containment of the fire.