THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Monday said it has issued notices of violation to the Philippine Ecology Systems Corp. (Phileco), operator of the Navotas Sanitary Landfill, where a fire broke out a month ago.
The operator’s violations include:
– Failure to submit a required Safe Closure and Rehabilitation Plan;
– Failure to install and maintain air pollution control devices and systems, such as sufficient gas vent pipes;
– Failure to comply with daily soil cover;
– Unapproved discharges that violate the Clean Water Act;
– Failure to complete the Abandonment Plan.
The DENR said it is now working with the Office of the Solicitor General for a case build-up against the operator, adding that witnesses’ judicial affidavits are also being finalized.
“Environmental negligence has consequences. We will not allow operators to walk away from their responsibilities,” Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said.
The Navotas landfill fire incident has prompted the DENR to renew its focus on systemic issues and push for broader changes in waste management.
Methane buildup from mixed waste is a known cause of subsurface fires, which requires segregation at the source, the DENR said. It urged local government units to strictly implement the No Segregation, No Collection policies, as mandated by Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
It added that public education should begin at the household level, not at the disposal site.
Cuna clarified that the issue lies in poor implementation, not in the landfills themselves. “We must stop confusing open dumps with properly managed sanitary landfills (SLFs). Modern waste management means well‑run and rehabilitated SLFs, enhanced by enclosed, modern resource‑recovery systems,” he said.
He added that standards already exist in law and engineering practices, and the real challenge is ensuring strict, consistent implementation of proper operational practices across all facilities.
The DENR said it remains open to trying advanced solid waste management solutions that lower fire risk, recover resources, and lessen dependency on conventional landfilling.
It is likewise actively seeking and exploring systems that function in enclosed, controlled environments to eliminate the risks associated with open disposal and convert trash into useful outputs.
Meanwhile, the agency reported that environmental conditions surrounding the landfill continue to improve significantly.
Real-time monitoring of air quality across Metro Manila and Bulacan shows a consistent decline in particulate matter concentrations, the DENR said, noting that stations in Caloocan, Navotas, Meycauayan and Obando have shown stabilized levels in the “good” or “fair” categories.
The agency attributed this to fire suppression efforts and the natural dispersion of smoke, as active smoldering decreased. Regional air quality has mostly reverted to near-baseline values, although localized “fair” readings may still occur depending on wind direction.
“The air is clearing, the danger is receding, and the science shows that our communities are safer today than they were at the height of the incident," Cuna said.
Affected areas have also returned to normal as environmental conditions improve. As of May 4, all 170 families temporarily evacuated from Obando had safely returned home, according to reports from the Office of Civil Defense.
Monitoring, enforcement and legal procedures would continue until the situation at the Navotas landfill fully stabilizes, Cuna said.
“Our job is not just to put out fires — it is to prevent the next one. That begins with responsibility, compliance, and a commitment to do better,” he said.
