Mutual Aid Disaster Relief - Search & Rescue

20/04/2026

EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN
Navotas Landfill Fire Response – Solidarity Action
Community-led Relief | April 2026

This tragedy is not isolated. It is a product of an extractive and anthropocentric system of waste management and urban development, where environmental risks are concentrated in marginalized coastal communities. Time and again, vulnerable populations bear the burden of pollution, poor infrastructure, and delayed rehabilitation, while being the least responsible for its causes.

Situation Overview
A massive and ongoing fire at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill has triggered a public health and environmental emergency, with thick toxic smoke affecting nearby coastal communities.

Despite being declared closed in 2025, the landfill continues to pose serious risks due to methane buildup, improper closure, and lack of rehabilitation—resulting in prolonged underground burning and hazardous air conditions.

As of April 19, 2026, the fire has been burning for nearly 10 days, with persistent smoldering and widespread smoke exposure.

Latest Ground Data
As of April 19, 2026 | 8:00 PM
142 families affected
413 individuals exposed and displaced

Urgent Health-Priority Needs:

1. Protective Equipment
-Chemical gloves for responders and volunteers
-N95 or KN95 masks for community distribution

Why this matters:
Landfill fires release fine particles (PM2.5) and toxic gases that pe*****te deep into the lungs. Proper masks can significantly reduce:

a. Asthma attacks
b. Lung irritation
c. Toxic inhalation

2. Water and Hydration Support
-Clean drinking water
-Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS)
-Electrolyte drinks

Why this matters:
a. Prevents heat stress and fatigue
b. Supports people with fever, cough, and breathing difficulty

3. Hygiene Kits (Community)
Include:
-Soap (preferably antibacterial)
-Toothbrush and toothpaste
-Towels or wipes
-Sanitary pads
-Alcohol or hand sanitizer

4. Basic Respiratory Care Support

What to bring:
-Saline solution (for nasal irrigation)
-Cough syrups (non-prescription)
-Lozenges
-Paracetamol

If possible:
Portable nebulizer (shared supervised use)
Salbutamol inhalers (with coordination of health workers)

Why this matters:
Targets the most common symptoms right now:
a. Cough
b. Throat irritation
c. Mild breathing difficulty

5. Access and Operations
Boat transportation for reaching affected coastal areas

6. Psychosocial Support
To be coordinated through local networks and partners

Why This Matters

This is not just a fire—it is a compound disaster:
1. Toxic air pollution affecting vulnerable populations
2. Displacement of coastal communities
3. Limited access slowing response
4. Ongoing risks from failed landfill closure and lack of accountability

Response Plan

Led by: MADR SAR (Mutual Aid Disaster Response – Search and Rescue)
Deployment Date: April 23, 2026

Objectives:
1. Deliver essential, health-focused relief to affected families
2. Support community-led evacuation and recovery
3. Strengthen grassroots disaster response capacity

Fundraising Goal
Target: ₱50,000 – ₱80,000 mobilization fund
1. Food and Water
2. Hygiene Kits
3. PPE (Masks and Gloves)
4. Transportation and Logistics

Call to Action
We are calling on individuals, organizations, and communities to act now.
1. Take initiative
2. Donate what you can
3. Share this campaign
4. Support community-led disaster response

In moments like this, survival depends on solidarity.

19/04/2026

18/04/2026

In solidarity with the community!

06/04/2026

Date: April 6, 2026
Location: Purok 7, San Jose & Sadam, Magsaysay, Castillejos, Zambales

Another round of our community pantry was successfully conducted across two areas in Castillejos, Zambales, serving San Jose in the morning and Magsaysay in the afternoon.

All items distributed were directly purchased from local farmers, freshly picked from their farms. This not only ensured fresh and nutritious food for the community, but also supported the livelihood of small-scale farmers.

In San Jose, a flood-prone area, many families continue to struggle in their daily lives. Frequent flooding affects their homes, livelihood, and access to basic needs, making it difficult to recover and maintain stability. We were able to serve at least 20 families.

In Magsaysay, residents also face ongoing challenges in their daily living. Many shared concerns about limited income opportunities, rising cost of food, and difficulty sustaining their everyday needs. We reached at least 18 families in the area.

Each family received a combination of essential goods including eggplants, onions, tomatoes, kamote, squash, sitaw, okra, and 1kg of rice.

This activity once again shows that beyond providing immediate relief, community pantries create space for connection, shared experiences, and collective support. Listening to the community’s concerns helps guide future efforts not only in providing aid, but in strengthening long-term support and preparedness.

This initiative was made possible through the efforts of volunteers, local farmers, and community members who continue to stand together in solidarity. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Community Through Colors for their support in making this activity possible.

This experience reminds us that communities are not just recipients of aid, they are active participants in building resilience and supporting one another.

03/04/2026

Date: March 31 & April 3, 2026
Location: 129-Relocation Site Valenzuela City

Another round of our community pantry was held today in one of the most underserved communities in Valenzuela City.

Following our first activity last Wednesday, we returned this Black Friday to continue the initiative. All vegetables were directly purchased from small vendors—partners who, for a long time, have also been donating surplus and scrap vegetables to a small animal shelter run by our comrades for rescued animals.

During the previous pantry, community members shared a pressing concern: their area is highly vulnerable to fire incidents. They expressed interest in learning basic household fire control and participating in a practical drill. We see this not only as a request, but as an opportunity to strengthen community preparedness and collective safety.

This activity was made possible through the active participation of local volunteers and residents themselves.

This experience reminds us that communities are not merely passive recipients of aid. They are capable partners—organizing, contributing, and taking part in building safer, more resilient neighborhoods together.

02/04/2026

In times of crisis, the most powerful response often begins with people turning toward one another. Mutual aid transforms neighbors into allies, strangers into collaborators, and communities into lifelines. It is rooted in cooperation—where everyone can give what they can and take what they need—restoring dignity when systems fall short.

During yesterday’s pantry, we witnessed organic acts of care and solidarity among participants. A factory worker called a workmate to let them know they could come and receive free vegetables. Some individuals shared brown bags with tricycle drivers who did not have their own. When Ate Ally gently reminded participants to consider others, several people voluntarily returned extra onions and garlic so more could benefit. From these small but meaningful interactions, a community-driven guideline emerged on its own: each person would take a maximum of two pieces of onions and garlic. No one enforced it—people simply agreed, reflecting the self-organizing, mutual-aid spirit of the space.

Through solidarity, communities move from isolation to shared strength. Food, time, skills, and care circulate not as charity, but as collective responsibility. These moments build trust, nurture relationships, and show that survival and recovery are shared efforts.

Community care becomes a quiet form of resilience. It creates spaces of safety, support, and hope—even in uncertainty. Mutual aid, in this way, is more than immediate relief. It is a powerful reminder that the true wealth of any community lies in its willingness to stand together.

01/04/2026

Together with our comrades from Samalahat Advocacy and Blue Earth Defense Ph, and with Ate Ally and Mike—our local volunteers from Pueblocillo—we conducted a Community Pantry today at the main gate of First Cavite Industrial Estate (FCIE).

Location: Brgy. Langkaan 1, Dasmariñas
In solidarity with FCIE toda and with all factory workers.

Date: April 1, 2026

We shared a variety of vegetables. Ampalaya, pepino, and papaya were purchased directly from local farmers in Amadeo. Other vegetables—talong, sitaw, labanos, kalabasa, carrots, sibuyas, bawang, kamatis, sayote, saluyot, and cabbage—were sourced directly from small vegetable vendors in Dasmariñas. Special thanks to one generous vendor who provided free upo.

Our heartfelt thanks to all local volunteers, the FCIE administration, and the security guards for their assistance, and to our local and international networks supporting this initiative.

Sharing is Caring.
Mutual Aid, Not Charity.
Solidarity Builds Power

01/04/2026

Meron ba kayong kilalang mga farmers around the Cavite area na nahihirapang ibenta ang kanilang produkto? O mga farmers mula sa ibang probinsya na nasa Cavite area at nahihirapan maghanap ng buyer.

PM Please!

Maraming salamat!

Send a message to learn more

30/03/2026

Hello!

We Mutual Aid Disaster Relief - Search & Rescue invite you to support our Community Pantry & Free Market with the following goals:
• Provide free and accessible food to those in need
• Promote “kapwa tulungan” (mutual aid)
• Support local farmers through direct sourcing
• Strengthen community connection and participation

We are looking for donors, partners, and volunteers to help make this possible.

We have 3 areas that is going to operate:
- Castillejos, Zambales - contact: Yno Canonizado Avera
- Dasmariñas, Cavite - contact: Ja Reyalidad
- Valenzuela City, Metro Manila - Rej Greenfields

Core Goals

1. Address Hunger – Provide free, accessible food to those in need
2. Promote Kapwa Tulungan – Encourage sharing and mutual aid
3. Support Local Farmers – Source food directly and strengthen local supply

⸻

Community Goals

4. Build Community Connections – Foster trust, support, and cooperation
5. Empower Volunteers – Engage people in organizing and distribution
6. Restore Dignity – Ensure access to food without shame or barriers

⸻

Long-Term Goals

7. Promote Food Security – Support sustainable and nutritious food systems
8. Strengthen Disaster Response – Provide quick food access during emergencies
9. Reduce Food Waste – Redistribute surplus food to those in need

Thank you, and we hope everyone will help each other through the crisis we are facing.

29/03/2026

In times of crisis, Mutual Aid and Solidarity are our strongest responses!

CALL FOR DONATION & SOLIDARITY

Building Community Pantries in Times of Crisis
As communities begin to feel the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East — from rising food prices to deepening economic strain — we are organizing a collective response grounded in mutual aid and solidarity.

Samalahat Advocacy and Mutual Aid Disaster Relief - Search & Rescue are currently in the fundraising stage to establish Community Pantries that will provide free essential goods, especially fresh vegetables, to communities in need.

Initial Target Areas:

1. Dasmarinas Cavite
2. Valenzuela City Metro Manila
3. Castillejos Zambales

Direct Support to Local Farmers

As part of this initiative, we aim to purchase vegetables directly from local farmers in the same areas where the community pantries will be set up.

This ensures:

1. Immediate support for local farmers’ livelihoods
2. Fairer pricing and reduced dependence on exploitative supply chains
3. Fresher, more accessible food for communities

Growing Food, Growing Resilience

Beyond immediate relief, we also plan to distribute free vegetable seeds as part of a semi-long-term action. We aim to encourage families and communities to:

1. Start backyard gardening
2. Practice urban gardening
3. Establish community gardens

This is about strengthening local food systems and building community resilience — so that communities are not only recipients of aid, but active producers of their own food.

💚 We are calling for your support to make this possible.

Your donations will help us:

1. Set up and sustain community pantries
2. Purchase vegetables and essential goods
3. Directly support local farmers
4. Distribute seeds and support local food production
5. Mobilize volunteers and logistics on the ground

Send Your Support:
GCASH: Evelyn Quijano – 09569379130
BPI (Savings): 0589195442

For transparency and proper documentation, please screenshot your transaction and send it to our page.

Take Action Where You Are:

Beyond donating, we encourage everyone with the capacity to:

1. Start a small pantry in your community
2. Organize food sharing or community kitchens
3. Support farmers through direct buying
4. Grow your own food and share with others
5. Build networks of care and mutual aid

This is not just about relief — it is about collective survival, dignity, and strengthening local economies and food systems through solidarity.

In times of crisis, Mutual Aid and Solidarity is our strongest response.

26/02/2026

Alert! Kanlaon Eruption.