4/14/2021
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On October 13, 2009, Solacito underwent a surgical procedure at St. Luke's Medical
Center. Interim medical reports with respect to his treatment and recovery were issued
on October 28, 2009, November 16, 2009, and January 5, 2010. On January 7, 2010,
Dr. Elizabeth Tan-Tin (Dr. Tan-Tin) issued a Medical Report finally declaring Solacito fit
to work, viz.:
Presently, there is a small perforation but tympanic membrane and middle
ear are dry. No signs of infection. So far, there is good control of rhinitis. He
has reached maximum stage of cure and has been declared FIT FOR SEA
DUTY as of January 7, 2010. For your information. Elizabeth Tan-Tin, MD
Chief of Clinics.[6]
On February 10, 2010, Dr. Frederick Hawson, the attending ear-nose-throat (ENT)
consultant, and Dr. Tan-Tin prepared another medical report which states:
This is to certify that Mr. Roger Solacito had first been seen by the ENT
service in Vizcarra Diagnostic Clinic last July 9, 2009. The chief complaint
was recurrent left ear discharge since June 10, 2009. On first consultation,
the patient had been diagnosed to have chronic otitis media with a near
total tympanic membrane perforation on the left ear. Various medications
had been given to the patient with only temporary relief afforded as the
discharge would still be appearing intermittently. Finally, on October 13,
2009, the patient underwent a surgical procedure called Tympanoplasty and
Ossiculoplasty on the left ear, done at the St. Luke's Medical Center, under
surgeon Dr. Norberto Martinez. At present the left ear is already dry.
The latest pure tone audiometry was done last December 14, 2009 at the
Manila Hearing Aid Center (SM-Mall of Asia Branch). The results show that
his right ear had an average hearing level of 25 dB, while the left ear had an
average hearing level of 50 dB. The speech discrimination score for both
ears is 100%.
Mr. Solacito is not considered disabled because he does not fulfill the WHO
definition of hearing disability, which is that the average hearing level of the
BETTER ear should not be lower than 40dB. Since the right ear of Mr.
Solacito, which is the better ear, had an average level of 25 dB, is within
normal limits, there is no disability in this case.
Furthermore, in the Dept. of Health memorandum entitled Administrative
Order 2007-0225, it is stated that for servicing seafarers, unaided average
threshold shall not be higher than 50dB in BOTH ears. His functional speech
discrimination (unaided SRT) shall not be less than 90% at 55 dB for BOTH
ears. Mr. Solacito's left ear hearing level is at 50 dB. His hearing in the right
ear is within normal limits. The speech discrimination score for both ears is
100%.
Therefore, based on his latest hearing evaluation as compared to established
criteria, Mr. Solacito does not have hearing disability. His moderate hearing
loss at the level of 50 dB on the left ear is a hearing impairment and may
https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/66216
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