The Manila Times
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has shifted into high gear in its battle to fully extinguish the fire in the Navotas Sanitary Landfill, which has been smoldering for more than 10 days and continues to pose serious health and environmental risks. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the situation remains critical, with thick, toxic smoke continuing to billow from the landfill and drift across Metro Manila and nearby provinces, including Bulacan and Bataan. According to Dizon, the prolonged fire, fueled by layers of compacted waste, has created deep underground hotspots that are difficult to reach and extinguish, prolonging the crisis and worsening air quality. To support firefighting operations, the DPWH has deployed a large fleet of heavy equipment, including dredgers, bulldozers, dump trucks and backhoes, working alongside personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). The coordinated effort, the DPWH chief explained, focuses on smothering both surface flames and deep-seated underground hotspots by layering soil and sludge over burning waste, effectively cutting off oxygen and halting combustion. “The strategy is straightforward but labor-intensive. Crews are continuously dumping soil and sludge over exposed flames and subsurface burning pockets to cut off oxygen, cool down heat zones, and prevent flare-ups,” added Dizon. What dramatically changed the pace of operations, Dizon pointed out, was the completion of a new access road linking the mainland directly to the landfill. He said that previously, equipment and materials had to be ferried in by barge, delaying response time. With uninterrupted land access, truckloads of soil and additional machinery can move in nonstop, enabling sustained, round-the-clock suppression efforts. Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco said operations are now focused on sealing off the fire at its source. “We are persistently covering the hotspots buried beneath the waste to suppress combustion and prevent reignition,” he said, adding that progress is being made but conditions remain challenging. Air quality in Navotas City has reached an “orange” classification, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 138, considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Authorities warned that prolonged exposure to the smoke can aggravate respiratory conditions, especially among children, the elderly, and those with preexisting illnesses. 28-hectare fire The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) reported that over 28.58 hectares of the Navotas sanitary landfill have been burned by the fire that began on April 10, an area slightly larger than the Quezon Memorial Circle. The image of the destruction has since been submitted to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to help prioritize areas that need swift response. The landfill, which has continued to burn, poses various health risks, particularly to vulnerable sectors such as children, senior citizens and individuals with existing respiratory illnesses. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante told The Manila Times that exposure to the fire can lead to long-term complications such as chemical pneumonia, as fine particulate matter may be inhaled. Chemical pneumonia is caused by inhaling toxic substances, such as smog caused by fire. Solante said that inhaling the small particulate matter (PM), particularly the PM 2.5, may lead to serious respiratory issues “The smog ... is an irritant to our airway. So, if you inhale that, especially the most vulnerable among those are those who are asthmatic and those who have COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) because their airway is already very sensitive,” Solante said. Solante emphasized the importance of wearing masks as air pollution persists. To prevent that, we need to advise wearing a face mask. Aside from wearing masks, Solante further advised the elderly to stay hydrated, noting that dehydration may exacerbate their COPD and asthma. As the Navotas fire continues to degrade air quality within its surrounding areas, Solante advised individuals experiencing difficulty breathing to seek medical attention immediately, as this may indicate chemical pneumonia. with a report from Allen Limos
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