DENR says Metro Manila air quality is back to normal
The air quality in Metro Manila has improved and is now back to normal, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. This came a few days after the Navotas landfill fire.
The Philippine STAR reported that both coarse and fine particles are now improving. However, Janice Pammit, director of the DENR Environmental Management Bureau-National Capital Region, said other factors could still affect air quality in different areas.
Fire broke out at a sanitary landfill in Navotas City on Friday, April 10, which was subsequently contained on the morning of April 12 by the Bureau of Fire Protection. No casualties were reported despite the major fire, as the landfill is located on an island far from any residential areas.
On April 11, Navotas recorded an air quality index of 78 at 12 p.m., which improved to 52 by around 6 p.m. However, officials noted that despite the improvement, the air quality was still classified as fair.
The EMB-NCR scores good air quality between 0 and 50, while unhealthy quality is between 101 and 150.
The residents were advised to be mindful of their health as the fire's smoke had significantly affected air quality in nearby cities and areas.
Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco told Super Radyo dzBB in an April 13 interview that the fire could have been prevented had the operator completed its required closure program in August 2025, when its contract expired.
The landfill, spanning about 41 hectares, has the fire under control, though it's yet to be fully extinguished.
The DENR is investigating the cause of the landfill fire and may impose penalties on the operator. (with reports by Josiah Antonio, Mark Ernest Villeza, The Philippine STAR)
