Navotas landfill fire: Japan to provide technical support

A Japan Disaster Relief team is set to provide technical support to address the fire at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill, according to the Philippine Embassy in Japan.

"The seven-member team, composed of personnel from the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, the National Institute for Environmental Studies, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will depart for Manila this afternoon," the Embassy said in a statement.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano with Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Arfiya ERI were present at the sendoff ceremony held on April 23, 2026 at the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“We value Japan’s support in ongoing efforts to assess, contain, and extinguish the fire that has adversely affected air quality and required the temporary evacuation of nearby communities. We are confident that, with your team’s expertise, this emergency will be brought under control swiftly and will no longer pose a risk to public health,” said Ambassador Garcia-Albano.

“We extend our sincere wishes for the safety and well-being of Japan’s disaster relief team as they embark on this important mission, which reaffirms the strong bond between the Philippines and Japan as we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations this year,” she added.

The fire at the Navotas landfill was reported on April 10, 2026. Two days after authorities declared the fire under control. However, by April 17 the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) said satellite data showed the smoke from the landfill had spread as far as Bataan.

By April 23, 2026, PhilSA reported that the quality of air in Metro Manila has not returned to normal since the fire started at the Navotas landfill based on data provided by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) as 'smoldering conditions' persist. — BAP, GMA News