4/29/2020 E-Library - Information At Your Fingertips: Printer Friendly ocean-going vessel are likely stress factors in the development of hyperthyroidism irrespective of its origin. As recounted by the respondent in his position paper, the work on board the MV Star Princess was a strenuous one. It involved day-to-day activities that brought him under pressure and strain and exposed him to chemical and other irritants, and his being away from home and family only aggravated these stresses.[36] Indeed, Laurel has shown a reasonable causation between his working condition and his hyperthyroidism contracted during his employment warranting the recovery of compensation. Settled is the rule that for illness to be compensable, it is not necessary that the nature of the employment be the sole and only reason for the illness suffered by the seafarer. It is sufficient that there is a reasonable linkage between the disease suffered by the employee and his work to lead a rational mind to conclude that his work may have contributed to the establishment or, at the very least, aggravation of any pre-existing condition he might have had.[37] The case of Career Philippines Shipmanagement, Inc. v. Serna[38] may be relevant. In the said case, the Court sustained the award of disability benefits and held: The causal connection the petitioners cite is a factual question that we cannot touch in Rule 45. The factual question is also irrelevant to the 1996 POEA-SEC. In Remigio v. National Labor Relations Commission, we expressly declared that illnesses need not be shown to be work-related to be compensable under the 1996 POEA-SEC, which covers all injuries or illnesses occurring in the lifetime of the employment contract. We contrast this with the 2000 POEA-SEC which lists the compensable occupational diseases. Even granting that work-relatedness may be considered in this case, we fail to see, too, how the idiopathic character of toxic goiter and/or thyrotoxicosis excuses the petitioners, since it does not negate the probability, indeed the possibility, that Serna’s toxic goiter was caused by the undisputed work conditions in the petitioners’ chemical tankers. (Underscoring supplied) Moreover, it should be noted that Laurel was not only diagnosed with Graves’ Disease. Per medical certificate of Dr. Caceres, Laurel’s physician, he was also found to be suffering from: (1) Stage 1B diffuse goiter; (2) recurrent periodic paralysis of lower extremities; (3) Wayne’s Index to 27 points; and (4) hyperthyroid TFT’s (suppressed TSH, elevated T3). His illness/disability was assessed as equivalent to Grade 1 Impediment. Thus, he was advised “not to undergo strenuous activity, as it may be very dangerous for him to ambulate with the unpredictable episodes of periodic paralysis.” Evidently, these illnesses disabled him to continue his job on board the vessel. Therefore, there is no doubt that under the 2000 POEA-SEC, he is entitled to disability compensation. The petitioners cannot successfully invoke the case of Magsaysay Maritime Corp. v. NLRC[39] to insulate themselves from liability for disability benefits. The said case is not elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/55780 9/15