WITH three incidents happening in the last four months, Cardinal Pablo David on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, scored the pattern being observed in different sanitary landfill facilities around the country.
In a statement, David said it is revolting that three cases in sanitary landfill facilities took place, with the latest being in Navotas City.
"This year alone, Cebu’s Binaliw landfill suffered a deadly trash slide, while another major landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal was suspended following a similar disaster," said David, who is a former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
"The fire has burned for days. Navotas, Malabon, and Obando have suffered the smoke... This is not an isolated failure. It is part of a pattern," he added.
To recall, a massive landfill collapse occurred last January 8, 2026 at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City; while a similar incident happened at the Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal back in February 20, 2026.
On the other hand, a massive fire broke out at a landfill in Navotas City back in April 10, and has caused widespread air pollution that reached parts of Metro Manila and Bulacan.
Zeroing in on the incident in Navotas City, David said the Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 provides that sanitary landfill facilities must be properly sited, aligned with local land use plans, and built to protect environmentally sensitive areas.
He said the law also mandates liners, leachate collection and treatment, gas control systems, groundwater monitoring, and rigorous post-closure care of such facilities.
"The law exists. Compliance does not. We have seen what happens when we ignore these warnings," the Kalookan bishop said.
"These are not accidents. They are consequences," added David. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
