Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that the government will enforce stricter monitoring of landfill areas during the dry season following a fire at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill that impacted communities in Malabon and Obando, Bulacan. During the launch of the "Bawat Bayan Makikinabang" initiative, Marcos emphasized the necessity for more vigilant oversight of landfill sites, particularly during periods of intense heat which could lead to spontaneous combustion.

According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos remarked that the fire was not deliberately set, suggesting that the extreme heat was a likely cause of the blaze. He explained that the fire posed significant challenges due to the landfill's depth, with garbage piles reaching approximately two stories high. Conventional firefighting methods were ineffective as water could not reach the underground fire source, prompting the government to adopt a containment strategy by covering the burning area with wet soil.

The government sought help from reclamation companies, which provided the necessary excavated soil to smother the fire. Marcos noted the importance of constructing access roads to facilitate the entry of dump trucks to the site. He detailed that after about one-and-a-half weeks of road construction, the operation to extinguish the fire began in earnest.

Marcos highlighted the health risks associated with toxic smoke from burning waste, particularly plastics, which emit hazardous fumes. He expressed hope that no similar incidents would occur in the future and assured residents that the fire had been extinguished. On May 10, Marcos confirmed that the fire, caused by methane gas from decomposing waste, had been fully put out following extensive efforts by government agencies, local authorities, and private sector partners.