ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Mar. 6, 2025
Dear Chief Acosta,
Sa isyu ng mga disability claims ng mga seafarer, kung sakaling magkaroon ng pagtatalo tungkol sa natuklasan ng doktor ng kumpanya at ng doktor na napili ng isang seafarer na nagtrabaho sa ibang bansa, sino ba ang mananaig? Kasama ba ang isyu ng work relation sa mga sinusuri at pinagpapasyahan ng doktor? — Bogart
Dear Bogart,
Ang sagot sa iyong mga katanungan ay matatagpuan sa mga probisyon ng Republic Act (R.A.) No. 12021, o mas kilala sa tawag na “Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers.” Ayon sa Seksyon 22 ng nasabing batas, kapag may hindi pagkakasundo sa medical assessment ng doktor ng kumpanya at doktor na pinili ng seafarer, ang ikatlong doktor mula sa anumang Department of Health (DOH)-accredited na klinika o sa isang pampublikong rehiyonal o probinsyal na ospital, na magkasamang pinili ng employer at ng seafarer, ang hihiranging tagapagpasya:
“Section 22. Right to a Fair Medical Assessment. - Seafarers shall have the right to a fair medical assessment in the event of injury arising from accidents onboard. Overseas seafarers shall have the right to seek a second opinion from accredited clinics of the Department of Health (DOH) or from other competent and licensed physicians, whenever there is a doubt on the medical assessment of an examining physician or clinic which negatively affects the overseas seafarer's immediate employment. If the clinic or physician selected by the overseas seafarer disagrees with the first assessment, a third doctor (from any DOH-accredited clinic or a DOH regional or provincial hospital), jointly selected by the employer and the seafarer, may be hired by the shipowner or manning agency to make a third medical assessment at no expense to the seafarer. The findings of the third doctor shall be final and binding on both parties.”
Ayon sa nabanggit, ang mga natuklasan o bunga ng pagsusuri ng ikatlong doktor ay pinal na at may bisa sa magkabilang partido. Gayunpaman, ang nasabing pagsusuri, mga natuklasan, at rekomendasyon ay limitado lamang sa isyu patungkol sa final disability grading o ang fitness to work ng isang seafarer. Hindi nito sakop ang isyu tungkol sa work relation o kaugnayan sa trabaho, viz.:
“Section 57. Determination of Disability Grading or Fitness to Work. - When the seafarer suffers work-related injury or illness occurring between the date of commencing duty and the date upon which they are deemed duly repatriated, or arising from their employment between those dates and still requires medical attention upon repatriation, the seafarer must undergo a post-employment medical examination by a company-designated physician for treatment until seafarer is declared fit to work or given a disability grading.
A seafarer who disagrees with the company-designated physician’s final assessment may seek its re-evaluation by a physician of choice who specializes in the illness or injury. If the seafarer’s doctor issues a disability grading that is different or contrary to the medical findings of the company-designated physician, the seafarer must file, within thirty (30) days from receipt of the findings of the seafarer’s doctor, a written request with the DMW to refer to conflicting medical grading to a third doctor. The third doctor shall be mutually selected by the employer and seafarer from a pool of DOH-accredited medical specialists relevant to the injury or illness of the seafarer. The third doctor should be duly trained in the determination of maritime disability grading.
With all the medical documents considered and issued by the company doctor and the seafarer’s doctor, the third doctor shall determine the final disability grading which shall be binding upon the seafarer and the employer. This process shall be mandatory before any dispute settlement, arbitration proceeding, or case may be filed, when the issue is the disability grading, fitness to work, or the illness or injury of the seafarer. x x x”
Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.
Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.
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