Trash Slide at Rodriguez Landfill Claims One Life, Two Missing in Rizal
A tragic incident unfolded at a landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal, where a trash slide has left one person dead and two others missing, as confirmed by Mayor Ronnie Evangelista on Monday, February 23, 2026. The mayor provided details in a television interview, revealing that one body has been recovered from the collapse site and handed over to the family.
Evangelista emphasized the difficulties of the ongoing recovery operations, stating, "It's really now just recovery operations for the two, in case we can still retrieve them, because you know how difficult retrieval operations are—if the trash is piled like a mountain, it's hard; this is not an ordinary retrieval operation." The challenging conditions at the site, with massive piles of waste, complicate efforts to locate the missing individuals.
Investigation Points to Compaction Activities as Cause
According to initial investigations, the trash slide may have been triggered by compaction activities involving bulldozers at the landfill. Evangelista explained, "The weight of the bulldozers triggered the trash slide. This is not the typical landslide we think of that happens due to heavy water or a storm causing an area to collapse. I think this is more of an accident." This distinction highlights the unique nature of the incident, which differs from natural landslides caused by weather events.
The mayor noted that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is currently examining the possible accountability of the landfill operators in relation to the accident. While operations in the affected portion of the landfill have been temporarily halted, other areas continue to function as usual.
This incident underscores ongoing concerns about safety protocols and environmental management at waste disposal sites, prompting calls for stricter regulations and oversight to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
