Fire out at Navotas landfill, agencies inspect site

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Department of Transportation (DOTr) inspected the Navotas Sanitary Landfill on Monday following the declaration that the month-long landfill fire had been fully extinguished, as announced recently by the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Cabinet officials — DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna, DPWH Secretary Vivencio Dizon, and DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez — recognized the collective efforts of government agencies, private companies, and foreign partners that helped address the landfill incident.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped here. We will continue to monitor the landfill, including its rehabilitation because it needs to continue, and we will also continue monitoring the air quality,” Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said in a media interview.

As for Dizon, the presence of methane gas beneath the piled-up landfill waste may continue to burn underground, making continuous soil covering necessary to prevent another fire incident. 

“If this [soil covering] is not properly maintained, another fire might break out again,” the DPWH Secretary said. 

For the Transportation department, Lopez emphasized the importance of cooperation among national and local government agencies in addressing large-scale environmental concerns brought by the landfill. 

“This is truly one of the best examples of what we call a whole-of-government approach,” the DOTr chief pointed out. 

Meanwhile, the DENR reported that it has directed all regional offices nationwide to validate landfill operators, including those managing already closed dumpsites.

Cuna also stressed that landfill operators remain responsible for ensuring proper safety closure procedures and rehabilitation efforts even after operations have ceased.