G.R. No. 175894 SECOND DIVISION   NYK-FIL SHIP MANAGEMENT G.R. No. 175894 INC., and/or JOSEPHINE J.   FRANCISCO and TMM CO. Present: LTD, TOKYO, JAPAN,   Petitioners, QUISUMBING, Acting CJ.,   Chairperson,   CARPIO MORALES,   TINGA, - versus VELASCO, JR., and   BRION, JJ.         ALFONSO T. TALAVERA, Promulgated: Respondent. November 14, 2008 x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x   DECISION   CARPIO MORALES, J.:   Alfonso T. Talavera (respondent) entered into a nine-month contract of employment with petitioner NYK-Fil Ship Management, Inc. (NYK-Fil) and/or Josephine J. Francisco, acting for and in behalf of petitioner TMM Co., Ltd. Tokyo, Japan, as a fitter on board the M.T. Tachiho vessel. As a fitter, he performed repair and maintenance and welding works which called for him to move heavy equipment and materials.   After respondent started working in June 2003, he, on several occasions, felt slight pains in his back and other parts of his body. He thus had frequent consultations with the ship medical officer who gave him analgesics. The pain persisted and became more severe as it radiated to his feet, hence, he consulted a clinic in Oman on August 16, 2003 and was diagnosed to have ureteric colic with urinary tract infection.