Estate Planning Attorney in Manning, SC

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In a 10-page resolution, the SC Special First Division granted a motion for partial reconsideration of its earlier ruling, which held that only the manning agency and its foreign principal were liable for the seafarer's disability benefits.

Citing the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act of 1995, as amended by Republic Act 10022, the SC ruled that the manning agency's fleet director is also solidarily liable, which means he can be made to pay the full amount due.

"Clearly, the law expressly provides the joint and solidary liability of corporate directors and officers with the recruitment/ placement agency for all money claims or damages that may be awarded to overseas Filipino workers," it said.

The High Court said that while corporate officers generally cannot personally be held liable for contracts entered into by the corporation, personal liability may validly attach since he is made personally liable for his corporate action by a specific provision of law.

According to the SC, the manning agency hired the seafarer as an electrical fitter for its foreign principal. When the seafarer was injured while working, he was sent back to Manila, where company-designated doctors diagnosed him with rotator tendinitis.

After undergoing physical therapy and being told that he reached his maximum medical treatment, he was found fit for work.

However, the seafarer continued to feel pain and sought a second medical opinion, where the doctor found him unfit for sea duty.

Due to this, the seafarer requested the manning agency for a third doctor's opinion, but the manning agency refused and asked for a copy of the second doctor's report.

Following this, the seafarer filed a complaint before the Labor Arbiter (LA) for disability benefits and the reimbursement of his medical expenses.

The LA ruled in his favor, but the Court of Appeals reversed the ruling.

In its resolution, the SC affirmed the LA's ruling. The SC said the manning agency and the foreign principal are liable because the doctor's report was incomplete.

The resolution, penned by Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez, was promulgated in October 2025 and made public in March 2026. — VDV, GMA Integrated News

South Carolina could see a mix of rain and snow Sunday as a storm system moves across the region, though forecasters say uncertainty remains about how much cold air will be in place and where the heaviest precipitation may fall.

Frank Strait, severe weather liaison with the S.C. State Climate Office, said fresh cold air is expected to move into the state Saturday night, followed by a storm system arriving early Sunday.

“There’s a chance it’s cold enough for snow, at least at the end of the precipitation or in the northwestern part of the area that sees precipitation,” Strait said.

As of late Thursday evening, computer model guidance was trending toward a mostly rain event, though Strait cautioned that the forecast remains a close call and could still change.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” he said, noting that model guidance can shift even within a couple of days of an event.

Friday is expected to be less harsh than Thursday despite a bitterly cold morning, with winds diminishing through the day. Another cold front is forecast to move through late Friday night into Saturday morning, bringing light rain to the Upstate. Strait said it may be cold enough for snow north of Highway 11, though any accumulation would likely be limited and confined to higher elevations.

Behind that front, reinforcing cold air is expected to move into the region for Sunday as the boundary stalls near the coast late Saturday night. A storm system is forecast to track along the front from the Gulf Coast before moving along the South Carolina coast into Sunday.

Several uncertainties remain, Strait said. The storm’s exact track could shift farther inland or farther offshore, which would affect where the heaviest precipitation falls. The storm’s intensity is also uncertain, as is how effectively cold air will penetrate South Carolina.

“Even if it snows, most of the storm would occur during the daytime, which makes it harder for snow to stick,” Strait said.

Late Thursday night computer model runs showed more moisture but less cold air, resulting in little snowfall across much of the state. That trend, Strait said, favors rain over snow, though additional model data was expected Friday.

Forecast guidance continues to show a wide range of possibilities, from little or no snow to a more significant snow event in parts of the state. Strait said meteorologists analyze data from multiple global models to narrow the forecast as the event draws closer.

“The picture usually steadily improves once we’re within 72 hours of the event, as we are now,” he said.

While residents are encouraged to stay informed, Strait said preparation does not mean panic buying. He urged residents to review the South Carolina Emergency Management Division’s winter weather guidance and take steps appropriate for their situation.

If snow does occur, lingering cold air behind the system could slow melting and keep conditions cold for several days, forecasters said.