By Ariel Fernandez The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced that its main office in Intramuros, Manila will be closed and will suspend its operations today, June 8, as it will undergo disinfection after one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente ordered the bureau's general services section to immediately conduct the disinfection and sanitize all offices inside the BI main building. We have decided to temporarily close our main office to protect not only our employees but also the transacting public as well against this deadly virus," the BI chief said in a statement. Morente thus advised those who have secured slots via the BI's newly-launched online appointment system to defer their transaction as they will be notified later about the new schedule of their appointments. "We assure the public that our main office will be back in business as soon as we have finished disinfecting our building. Please wait for further announcements," the chief further stated. He also advised concerned parties to always view the BI's website at immigration.gov.ph where important advisories and announcements are regularly posted. Morente added that other BI satellite and extension offices in Metro Manila remain open for business this Monday. According to BI acting spokesperson Melvin Mabulac, the employee who tested positive for COVID-19 was among the hundreds of BI mployees who underwent rapid antibody test conducted at the main office last week. He initially tested positive in the rapid test conducted last June 2 so he was subjected to a confirmatory swab test. The test result showing he has the virus came out last Saturday," Mabulac said. He disclosed that the employee's officemates were already directed to undergo mandatory tests to determine if they, too, have acquired the virus.