The rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has marked 2020 with one of the biggest public health crises of all time. Along with physical distancing of at least one meter (m) between individuals, enhanced personal and environmental hygiene, the availability of well-ventilated isolation rooms for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 is essential for infection prevention and control. Self-isolation procedures can be challenging for individuals and families living in cramped environments. It is even more difficult in urban poor communities where housing units do not comply with planning and building regulations and are often situated in geographically and environmentally hazardous areas that lack basic services and urban infrastructure. This paper discusses the development of temporary community-based quarantine facilities (TCQFs) as an incremental and progressive approach to support community-mobilized active case finding, testing, isolation, and monitoring in Malabon City, Metro Manila Philippines. Taking off from alternative temporary shelter (ATS) systems originally intended to provide dignified evacuation spaces in indoor and outdoor environments during emergencies, the TCQF strives to complement the government's effort to address the increasing need for isolation facilities for COVID-19 patients. A systematic, participatory, and community-centered implementation strategy presents an opportunity to preposition vital emergency shelter supplies in the locality and facilitate technology transfer and capability-building for urban poor communities.