8/26/2020 E-Library - Information At Your Fingertips: Printer Friendly x x x x (emphases supplied) Pursuant to the foregoing, two (2) elements must concur for an injury or illness to be compensable: first, that the injury or illness must be work-related; and second, that the work-related injury or illness must have existed during the term of the seafarer's employment contract.[55] To be entitled to compensation and benefits under the governing POEA-SEC, it is not sufficient to establish that the seafarer's illness or injury has rendered him permanently or partially disabled; it must also be shown that there is a causal connection between the seafarer's illness or injury and the work for which he had been contracted.[56] The POEA-SEC defines a "work-related illness" as any sickness as a result of an occupational disease listed under Section 32-A with the satisfaction of conditions provided therein. Cardiovascular diseases, such as respondent's aortic valve stenosis, is expressly included among those occupational diseases, which entitles the seafarer to compensation for the resulting disability if any of the specified conditions are met. SECTION 32-A. Occupational Diseases. For an occupational disease and the resulting disability or death to be compensable, all of the following conditions must be satisfied: xxxx 1. The seafarer's work must involve the risks described herein; 2. The disease was contracted as a result of the seafarer's exposure to the described risks; 3. The disease was contracted within a period of exposure and under such other factors necessary to contract it; and 4. There was no notorious negligence on the part of the seafarer. The following diseases are considered as occupational when contracted under working conditions involving the risks described herein: x x x x (emphases supplied) During the term of his contract and while in the performance of his duties on board petitioners' vessel, respondent undeniably suffered from severe aortic regurgitation or valvular insufficiency (leaking of blood back into the left ventricle due to improperly functioning aortic valve leaflets)[57] for which he was hospitalized and underwent openheart surgery (aortic valve replacement). Upon repatriation, his condition was diagnosed by the company-designated physician as aortic valve stenosis. "In aortic valve stenosis, the aortic valve between the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle) and the main artery that delivers blood from the heart to the body (aorta) is https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/65335 12/24