IATF denies Navotas' ECQ appeal

Navotas City's appeal to revert to Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was denied by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), despite Mayor Toby Tiangco's concerns about a potential second wave of COVID-19 infections.

Tiangco argued that the city cannot afford another surge in cases and that the local government lacks the capacity to handle an excessive number of infections.

He cited the relaxation of quarantine guidelines under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) as a reason for increased public movement and potential non-compliance with health protocols.

The mayor also raised concerns about the limited number of law enforcers to monitor compliance with social distancing and mask-wearing.

Furthermore, Navotas faces a backlog of 900 COVID-19 tests awaiting results, with no dedicated isolation facilities for those awaiting their results, leading to potential spread.

The city government is requesting the IATF to revisit the reasonableness of quarantine level classifications, drawing parallels with Cebu and Mandaue.