The Court cannot give less importance either to the fact that petitioner was a seaman for 10 years serving 10 to 18-month contracts and never did he have any problems with his earlier contracts.28[28] The Court can only surmise that the brief psychotic disorder suffered by him was brought about by a family problem. His daughter was sick and, as a seafarer, he could not just decide to go home and be with his family.29[29] Even the psychiatric report30[30] prepared by the evaluating private psychiatrist of petitioner shows that the hospitalization of petitioner’s youngest daughter caused him poor sleep and appetite. Later, he started hearing voices and developed fearfulness.   Although strict rules of evidence are not applicable in claims for compensation and disability benefits, the Court cannot just disregard the provisions of the POEA SEC. Significantly, a seaman is a contractual and not a regular employee. His employment is contractually fixed for a certain period of time. Petitioner and respondents entered into a contract of employment. It was approved by the POEA on October 25, 2005 and, thus, served as the law between the parties. Undisputedly, Section 20-B of the POEA Amended Standard Terms and Conditions Governing the Employment of Filipino Seafarers on Board OceanGoing Vessels (POEA-SEC) provides for compensation and benefits for injury or illness suffered by a seafarer. It says that, in order to claim disability benefits under the Standard Employment Contract, it is the ‘company-designated’ physician who must proclaim that the seaman suffered a permanent disability, whether total or 28[28] CA rollo, p. 133. 29[29] Rollo, p. 123; See also CA rollo, p. 108. 30[30] CA rollo, pp. 133-134.