#4 Roberto Debaudin vs. Social Security System (SSS) and Employee's Compensation Commission (ECC) G.R. No.

148308 September 21, 2007 Azcuna. J. FACTS : Petitioner is a seaman by profession it! United !ilippine "ines (U "". #e starte$ or%in& 'rom Apri( 13, 1)7* an$ as
separate$ 'rom !is emp(o+ment on ,a+ 21, 1))3 at t!e a&e o' #$ -%& years of service". #is $uties an$ responsibi(ities t!at inc(u$e$. c(eanin& c!emica(/spi((/oi( on $ec%, s(at $is(o$&in&, an$ spra+in& nap!t!a c!emica( an$ as!in& $irt an$ rusts insi$e t!e tan%. Petitioner0s me$ica( recor$ s!o s t!at !is i((ness starte$ in ,a+ 1))3 !en !e e1perience$ episo$es o' bilateral blurrin' of vision. 2!i(e in Sin&apore t!en, !e consu(te$ 3r. Ric!ar$ 4.5. 4an, an op!t!a(mic sur&eon, an$ !e as $ia&nose$ to be su''erin& 'rom advanced 'laucoma. #is con$ition recurre$ e6en a'ter !is separation 'rom ser6ice, promptin& !im to see% 'urt!er e+e consu(tations an$ treatments in t!e P!i(ippines. #is e+e $isease as 7na((+ $ia&nose$ as c!ronic open an'le 'laucoma. 8n account o' !is ai(ment, petitioner 7(e$ be'ore t!e SSS a c(aim 'or compensation bene7ts un$er P.3. No. 929, as amen$e$. 5!e app(ication, !o e6er, as denied on t!e 'round t!at t!ere is no causal relations!ip bet(een t!e illness and !is )ob as a seaman . 2!en !is motion 'or reconsi$eration as a(so $enie$, petitioner e(e6ate$ t!e case to t!e :;; !ic! (ater on a''irme$ t!e assai(e$ $ecision. An appea( 'rom t!e a$6erse $ecision as 7(e$ be'ore t!e ;A, but !ic! as $enie$ an$ $ismisse$. Petitioner<s ,R as a(so $enie$= !ence, t!is petition. ISSUE: 2!et!er t!e or% o' petitioner as a seaman contribute$ e6en in a sma(( $e&ree in or !a$ increase$ t!e ris% o' contractin& !is c!ronic open an&(e &(aucoma *E"D+ N8. 5!e petition (ac%s merit. >n$er t!e ?abor ;o$e, as amen$e$, an emp(o+ee is entit(e$ to compensation bene7ts if the sickness is a result of an occupational disease listed under Annex "A" of the Rules on Employees Compensation = or in case o' an+ ot!er i((ness, i' it is caused by employment, sub@ect to proo' t!at t!e ris% o' contractin& t!e same is increase$ b+ t!e or%in& con$itions. 5!is is as it s!ou($ be because 'or an i((ness to be compensab(e, it must be. -1" directly caused b+ suc! emp(o+ment= -2" a!!ra"ated b+ t!e emp(o+ment= or -3" t!e resu(t o' t!e nature o' suc! emp(o+ment. Jurispru$ence pro6i$es t!at to estab(is! compensabi(it+ o' a non/occupationa( $isease, reasonable proof of (or,- connection an$ not $irect causa( re(ation is reAuire$. Bt is enou&! t!at t!e !+pot!esis on !ic! t!e or%men<s c(aim is base$ is probable.C17D robability, not t!e u(timate $e&ree o' certaint+, is t!e test of proof in compensation proceedin'ssince in carr+in& out an$ interpretin& t!e pro6isions o' t!e ?abor ;o$e an$ its imp(ementin& ru(es an$ re&u(ations t!e primor$ia( an$ paramount consi$eration is t!e emp(o+ees< e('are. Bn t!e present case, petitioner0s c!ronic open an&(e &(aucoma is NOT listed as an occupationa( $isease= !ence# he has the $urden of pro"in! $y su$stantial e"idence, or suc! re(e6ant e6i$ence !ic! a reasonab(e min$ mi&!t accept as a$eAuate to @usti'+ a conc(usion, t!at t!e nature o' !is emp(o+ment or or%in& con$itions increase$ t!e ris% o' contractin& t!e ai(ment or t!at its pro&ression or a&&ra6ation as brou&!t about t!ereb+. Perusa( o' t!e recor$s, !o e6er, re&rettab(+ re6ea(s petitioner%s failure to adduce any proof of a reasona$le connection bet een !is or% as a seaman an$ t!e c!ronic open an&(e &(aucoma !e !a$ contracte$. At t!e most, !e mere(+ c(aims t!at !e per'orme$ o$$ @obs it!out 'ai( E c(eanin& c!emica(/spi((/oi( on $ec%, s(at $is(o$&in&, an$ spra+in& nap!t!a c!emica( an$ as!in& $irt an$ rusts insi$e t!e tan% E strenuous tas%s !ic! accor$in& to !im reAuire$ c(imbin&, ben$in& o6er an$ runnin& 'or so man+ times. A$$in& t!ereto ere t!e peri(s o' t!e sea an$ t!e !omesic%ness !e sai$ !e e1perience$ !ic! a((e&e$(+ cause$ emotiona( strains on !is part. 5!e necessit+ o' estab(is!in& t!e suppose$ or% connection is a(( t!e more crucia( in t!e 'ace o' t!e 'act t!at t!e rea$i(+/a6ai(ab(e me$ica( (iterature ou($ appear to consistent(+ in$icate t!at open an!le !laucoma is $rou!ht a$out $y se"eral factors other than the purported "physical and emotional strains,F suc! as a'in'. race. family !istory. nearsi'!tedness or farsi'!tedness. prolon'ed corticosteroid use. nutritional deficiencies. brain c!emical abnormalities. in)uries. infection or abnormalities in t!e eye. and medical conditions suc! as diabetes. !i'! blood pressure or !eart disease . 5!ere'ore, to easi(+ attribute to t!e Fp!+sica( an$ emotiona( strainsF a((e&e$(+ atten$ant in petitioner<s @ob as a seaman t!e c!ronic open an&(e &(aucoma !e is current(+ su''erin& is e6i$ent(+ to o6ersimp(i'+ an ot!er ise comp(e1 'act/'in$in& process t!at s!ou($ !a6e ta%en p(ace to $etermine t!e true cause o' t!e ai(ment.