Navotas mayor: 2-week ‘lockdown’ coming as COVID cases rise, businesses to remain open

MANILA, Philippines — Navotas City will be placed under a two-week lockdown amid the continued increase in cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city, Mayor Toby Tiangco announced on Monday.

Tiangco confirmed the development following the circulation of a draft executive order on the city-wide lockdown on social media.

“Yung kumakalat sa social media, hindi naman totally fake ‘yan [but] hindi siya valid in the sense na hindi ko pa napipirmahan. Pero talagang magla-lockdown po kami for 14 days,” he said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

(It’s not totally fake but it’s not yet valid in the sense that I have not signed it. But we will really impose a lockdown for 14 days.)

The lockdown, however, will not affect business establishments and residents who need to go to work.

“”Yung lockdown is a lockdown for the residents. Business establishments will be allowed to operate. ‘Yung mga may trabaho, papayagang pumasok. Ang iistriktuhan lang po namin, ang ‘di namin papayagan, ay leisure activities, exercises, ganyan,” the mayor added.

(The lockdown is for residents. Business establishments will be allowed to operate. Those with work are allowed to go out. We will only be strict for leisure activities, exercises, and the like.)

Tangco said he is only waiting for police augmentation before the lockdown is enforced.

Navotas City has so far recorded 931 COVID-19 cases, with 547 active cases as of 10 p.m. Sunday. Three hundred twenty five patients have recovered while 59 others expired.

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