The Manila Times
MANILA, Philippines — Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon returned to the Navotas Sanitary Landfill on Tuesday, leading a high-level inspection team amid escalating concerns over toxic emissions and persistent underground fires at the dumpsite. Dizon was joined by Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuyo Endo, Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna, Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco, and a team of technical experts from Japan’s disaster response units—signaling a stronger international collaboration to address the fire at the Navotas Landfill. The visit marks a critical follow-up effort by the government to assess the current condition of the landfill, where smoldering methane pockets have continued to produce hazardous smoke affecting not only Navotas but nearby cities as well. Authorities said the presence of Japanese experts was expected to fast-track technical solutions, particularly in controlling deep-seated fires that are difficult to extinguish using conventional methods. Dizon emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that heavy equipment and mitigation measures deployed in previous days must now be evaluated for effectiveness, while identifying additional interventions to finally contain the blaze.
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