Landfill, land grab; burning questions

(First of three parts)

The takeover of the Navotas Sanitary Landfill, seen as a case of corporate overreach and a disregard of repeated warnings of an environmental disaster, has sparked public concern as toxic fumes continue to spread across parts of Metro Manila and nearby areas, raising serious health risks.

The DAILY TRIBUNE has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, which appears to go beyond routine neglect and mismanagement of a critical waste facility serving multiple communities in the capital.

For nearly two decades, Philippine Ecology Systems Corp. (PhilEco) managed the Navotas Sanitary Landfill (NSLF), a 40-hectare Category 4 facility serving Metro Manila’s waste disposal needs.

During PhilEco’s entire tenure, no fire-related incidents were recorded at the site, a testament to its operational protocols, waste management practices, and compliance with environmental standards.

This record ended after San Miguel Aerocity Inc. (SMAI), a subsidiary of San Miguel Corp. (SMC), took over the property through a court-backed expropriation.

On 13 February 2026, following a notice to vacate issued by the Regional Trial Court of Navotas, PhilEco was removed from the site.

Events leading to the fire suggest a pattern in which corporate interests allegedly leveraged state mechanisms for private gain.

The expropriation was invoked for “public use,” although the project appears tied to SMAI’s airport-related road network. Court processes and enforcement enabled the takeover, overriding the operator’s environmental obligations and warnings.

SMAI delayed its entry until February 2026, citing transition requirements, but it assumed control without fully taking on closure responsibilities under the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and Republic Act 9003, according to PhilEco.

A planned cloverleaf interchange, critics said, runs counter to DENR guidelines for Category 4 landfills, raising concerns that development timelines were prioritized over safety.

PhilEco said it had begun implementing a Site Closure and Rehabilitation Plan before its removal, with SMAI and the Navotas City government aware of the process. It added that being denied access prevented the completion of the rehabilitation.

SMAI took possession of the site, reportedly interrupting closure efforts and clearing the way for infrastructure linked to the New Manila International Airport project.

On 10 April 2026, less than two months after the takeover, a fire burned 28.6 hectares, or more than 71 percent of the landfill, based on Philippine Space Agency data. Toxic haze spread across Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

PhilEco said it had warned the authorities, including the court, the Navotas City government, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, that building an interchange over the landfill could trigger fires, methane buildup and leachate leaks.

These warnings, based on DENR safe closure guidelines prohibiting such construction in a Category 4 landfill for at least 30 years, were not acted upon. (To be continued)