Hindi pagpapatingin sa post-employment medical examination (PEME)

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | April 20, 2023

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ang aking asawa ay ilang taon na ring sumasakay ng barko para sa isang malaking shipping line. Matapos ang kanyang huling kontrata, siya ay umuwi ng Pilipinas.

Makalipas ang limang araw, siya ay pinatawag muli para magpa-medical examination para sa kanyang muling pagsakay. Dito napag-alaman na siya ay may high blood pressure, kaya hindi na siya pinayagang makasakay muli. Dahil dito, siya ay nag-claim ng mga benepisyo mula sa kanyang ahensya at employer, ngunit ito ay tinanggihan, sapagkat pre-existing condition diumano ito at hindi niya napatunayan na ang kanyang sakit ay work-related. Tama ba ito? –Rolando

Dear Rolando,

Ang sagot sa iyong katanungan ay matatagpuan sa kasong Gerardo U. Ville v. Maersk-Filipinas Crewing, Inc. and/or A.P. Moller A/S, G.R. No. 217879, February 1, 2021, Ponente: Honorable Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, kung saan sinabi ng Korte Suprema na kinakailangan na ang isang seafarer ay agarang i-report ang kanyang sakit sa kanyang ahensya o employer at agarang makapagpatingin sa itinalagang doktor kung nais niyang mag-claim ng benepisyo mula sa kanyang employer. Ayon sa Korte Suprema:

“There is no dispute that Ville never reported to his employer that he was suffering from an ailment while on board Adrian Maersk. Additionally, even upon disembarkation, he did not inform his employer that he was experiencing any illness or that it was aggravated while on board the vessel. Significantly, Ville did not submit himself for post-employment medical examination within three working days after disembarkation. It is settled rule that non-compliance with the post-employment medical examination requirement is tantamount to a waiver or forfeiture of any right to claim disability benefits. Surely, at the time of his disembarkation, he was not incapacitated to inform them of any health condition that he was experiencing, since he even had the physical and mental capacity to enter into a new contract as he sought to comply with the PEME requirement of the same. Similarly, Ville cannot argue that the respondents inadvertently or deliberately prevented him from undergoing a post-employment medical examination since they were not aware in the first place that he had an ailment. Besides, it was incumbent upon the seafarer to report to the employer for a post-employment medical examination within three working days upon repatriation. Ville's failure to comply to this requirement is fatal to his cause.”

Gaya sa kaso ng iyong asawa, lumipas ang tatlong araw at siya ay hindi nakapag-report ng kanyang sakit sa kanyang ahensya o employer. Ang iyong asawa ay hindi rin nakapagpatingin sa itinalagang doktor para sa kanyang post-employment medical examination. Ang mga ito ay maituturing na waiver o forfeiture ng kanyang karapatan na mag-claim ng mga benepisyo.

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 inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.