Over 300 Obando residents evacuated due to Navotas landfill fire smoke

Some residents of Obando, Bulacan are now falling ill and unable to return to their homes after the suffocating smoke from the still-burning Navotas Sanitary Landfill has reached their town.

According to Dano Tingcungco’s report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday, the landfill has been burning for nearly four days now.

Upon visiting the site, Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco admitted that completely putting out the fire and ensuring that it won’t reignite is not an easy task.

“Kasi nagliliyab yung ilalim po niyan. So ang kailangan po dito takpan ng soil at buhangin, para walang oxygen na pumasok at hindi magtuloy-tuloy,” he said. 

(Because the area underneath is still ablaze. So, what we need here is to cover it with soil and sand so that no oxygen gets in and it won’t keep burning.)

Authorities said it is critical to extinguish the remaining flames, especially since the smoke has already reached other areas like Obando, Bulacan.

More than 300 residents of Barangay Salambao are staying in evacuation centers as the smoke from the landfill has reached their homes.

“Kami nagkaroon ng, ano, ‘yung mga hika nagkasakit. Tapos nagkaroon ng pananakit ng dibdib, masakit sa ilong, tapos sa mata mahapdi po,” said Arlene Cabrera.

(We developed, you know, those with asthma got sick. Then there was chest pain, it hurts to breathe through the nose, and then our eyes stung.)

“May asthma ako, hinika nga po ako dahil nalanghap ko po ‘yung usok. Sumakit ulo ko tapos hindi ako makahinga, buti na lang may doktor dito,” Editha Reyes said.

(I have asthma, and I had an attack because I inhaled the smoke. My head heart and I couldn’t breathe, good thing there’s a doctor here.) 

The Obando municipal social welfare office advised residents to stay inside their homes and follow safety protocols as prescribed by authorities. For those who are having a hard time breathing, they can visit barangay health centers.

The local government unit (LGU) also extended assistance to the affected residents.

“I asked the mayor at ngayon inaayos na nila at mamaya malalaman natin kung ano magiging resulta doon sa pag-aayos nila at ginagawa na nila ng paraan,” Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando said.

(I asked the mayor and they are working on it now. Later on, we will find out the result of their efforts.)

“Hindi namin pwedeng pabalikin yang mga ‘yan nand nandiyan pa ‘yung usok at di pa patay ‘yung apoy sa landfill,” he added. 

(We cannot let them return while the smoke still there and the fire at the landfill hasn’t been put out yet.) 

San Miguel Aerocity Inc. (SMAI), the owner of the land where the landfill is located, is also helping out in extinguishing the fire.

It said it does not operate or manage the landfill itself, which used to be under the control of the Philippine Ecology Systems (PhilEco).

SMAI claimed that PhilEco has yet to implement the requirements for the permanent closure and rehabilitation of the landfill.

This is in response to PhilEco’s earlier statement which alleged that they were evicted by SMAI, preventing them from completing the closure and rehabilitation process when the landfill was shut down.

GMA News is reaching out to PhilEco for comment regarding SMAI’s latest statement on the issue. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA News