500 Obando evacuees return home

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May 5, 2026 | 12:00am

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan, Philippines — As the air quality in two coastal villages in Obando has improved the past few days, about 500 people who sought shelter at the town’s evacuation centers returned to their houses yesterday.

Manuel Lukban Jr., Bulacan disaster risk reduction and management officer, confirmed to The STAR that the evacuees have returned to their houses in Barangays Salambao and Binuangan in Obando.

Lukban said some equipment, such as the water filtration system, that were brought to the evacuation centers have been pulled out.

According to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), the continuous ambient air quality monitoring station in Meycauayan City recorded a “good air quality” within the five-kilometer radius of Obando and Marilao towns.

Good air quality was also recorded in Meycauayan, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon cities, the EMB added.

In previous days, the air quality in Obando deteriorated after a fire broke out at the closed Navotas sanitary landfill last month, prompting the local government to evacuate residents in the two barangays.