5/28/2020 E-Library - Information At Your Fingertips: Printer Friendly Ruling of the Court The petition has no merit. Under the 2000 POEA-SEC,[42] a work-related illness is “any sickness resulting to disability or death as a result of an occupational disease listed under Section 32-A with the conditions set therein satisfied.” The Court has held, however, that the enumeration in Section 32-A does not preclude other illnesses/diseases not so listed from being compensable. The POEA-SEC cannot be presumed to contain all the possible injuries that render a seafarer unfit for further sea duties.[43] This is in view of Section 20(B)(4)[44] of the POEA-SEC which states that “(t)hose illnesses not listed in Section 32 of this Contract are disputably presumed as work-related.” Concomitant with such presumption is the burden placed upon the claimant to present substantial evidence that his working conditions caused or at least increased the risk of contracting the disease.[45] “[I]t 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.”[46] Substantial evidence consists of such relevant evidence which a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to justify a conclusion that there is a causal connection between the nature of his employment and his illness, or that the risk of contracting the illness was increased by his working conditions.[47] Only a reasonable proof of work-connection, not direct causal relation is required to establish compensability of a non-occupational disease.[48] In the case at bar, Jarin was able to prove that his rheumatoid arthritis was contracted out of his daily duties as Chief Cook onboard M.T. Erik Spirit. The narration of facts in his position paper detailed the nature of his work as Chief Cook and the daily working conditions on sea duty. Sa bawat kada-dalawang buwan kami ay nagkakaroon ng food supply or provision sa aming kompanya. Sa araw na ito dumating sa puerto ang aming provision iyon ay aming hinahakot o binubuhat at ipapasok sa loob ng freezer. Kahit na kami ay pawis na pawis ay hindi kami tumitigil hangga’t hindi natatapos ang mga hakutin at pagkatapos ng aming maghapong trabaho sa galley sa mga 7:00 ng gabi ay aming isasalansan sa kanyakanyang lalagyan ang bawat isa na aming natanggap na provision sa mga dry store at sa malamig na freezer at lalo na yong mga manok, karne, baboy at kung ano-ano pa. Palagiang ganun ang aking ginagawa sa bawat buwan. Sa pang-araw-araw na gawain sa pagluluto sa paghahanda ng mga pagkain sa araw-araw. Sa tuwing 3:00 ng hapon kaming dalawa ni cook 2/cook ay pumapasok sa loob ng freezer upang ihanda para sa araw ng kinabukasan ang karne o isda at gulay. Palagi ganoon ang aking ginagawa araw-araw. Kami ay nagkakaroon ng food inventory bago magkatapusan ng elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/57140 6/11