Manila, April 16 -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to deploy heavy equipment at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill to help extinguish the fire, which has affected nearby communities since last week.

Secretary Vince Dizon said backhoes, bulldozers, and dredgers will be deployed at the site in Barangay Tanza 2, Navotas City, to extinguish the blaze completely.

"So by Saturday, heavy equipment will be able to enter the area," he said during his visit to the dumpsite on Thursday.

"We have to put soil on top (of the burning trash) otherwise it will continue to burn."

He noted that the deployment of more heavy equipment is upon the order of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in support of the local government and the co...