Picture used for illustrative purpose.

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Due to the detection of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, the Philippine Overseas Labour Office in Al Qusais, Dubai (POLO-DUBAI) is suspending all its services and shall be closed from June 9 and 10 (Thursday and Friday).

The entire two-storey villa compound shall “undergo extensive sanitation procedures after its front liners (had) tested positive for COVID-19. The premises will be thoroughly disinfected on those two days to ensure the health and safety of our clients,” according to the advisory, signed by Labour Attache in Dubai and the Northern Emirates John Rio Bautista, and released to the media at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

With this alert, all clients of the government agency in the past two weeks are also requested to undergo the necessary Polymerase Chain Reaction Test. The virus incubates within 14 days.

All management and staff had undergone the test and not all tested positive.

Those affected by the two-day suspension of services are requested to report to the POLO-DUBAI beginning June 13 (Monday) onwards even without securing new online appointments.

Those who have confirmed flights on June 10, 11, 12 and 13 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday) need not worry about their job contract verification requirements as they may issue an authorization letter for their representatives who, aside from the presentation of all the necessary requirements and a copy of the flight ticket/s of the job contract verification applicants, must present their own identification cards.

Following are the email addresses the affected may send messages to: Job Contract Verification at verifypolo@yahoo.com, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Membership at dubai@owwa.gov.ph, Overseas Employment Certificate at polodxb.oec@yahoo.com, Social Security System at dubai@sss.gov.ph, and the PAGIBIG Home Mutual Fund at popdubai@pagibigfund.gov.ph and yo_uaeandkuwait@pagibigfund.gov.ph.