Latest news with #Mercado
Newsweek
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
MLB Writer Predicts Phillies Will Part Ways With Inexperienced Pitcher
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The National League East is loaded with talented rosters, and the Philadelphia Phillies have still found themselves near the top of the division alongside the New York Mets. At this point, the Phillies need to do everything in their power to maximize their big league roster. This includes making cuts and trades to elevate the roster to its potential. FanSided's Zachary Rotman recently predicted the Phillies would part ways with relief pitcher Michael Mercado in an obvious move ahead of the trade deadline. CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 23: The Philadelphia Phillies logo on a hat in the dugout during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 23, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 23: The Philadelphia Phillies logo on a hat in the dugout during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 23, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. Brandon Sloter/Image"The Phillies' bullpen was already a weakness, but Jose Alvarado's suspension made it even worse. There are some talented pitchers in the 'pen, but for the most part, the unit leaves a lot to be desired. Michael Mercado is part of that," Rotman wrote. "Mercado is inexperienced as he only has seven appearances in his MLB career, two of which have come this season. "In those outings, though, he's allowed 18 runs on 20 hits in 15 innings pitched. This season, he dealt a scoreless inning in his first outing, but allowed two runs in an inning six days later. He hasn't had much exposure to the majors, but what he's done with his cups of coffee hasn't been good enough to stick around. That, in addition to his 5.31 ERA in Triple-A this season, makes it likely that he's long for Philadelphia." Mercado feels like he's on the roster to fill a spot until the Phillies can acquire a better pitcher. Philadelphia will almost certainly be on the hunt for a few relief pitchers at the trade deadline. They'll also be getting Jose Alvarado back from suspension at some point this season. All in all, it would be quite shocking to see Mercado on the roster for much longer. More MLB: Guardians Predicted To Swing Unthinkable Intra-divisional Trade For Star
GMA Network
19-06-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
DOH concerned over rising chronic kidney disease cases among children
The Department of Health said the cases of chronic kidney disease are rising. The Department of Health (DOH) has raised concern over the increasing number of chronic kidney disease (CKD) cases in the Philippines, including among children, prompting a renewed call to strengthen primary care and prevention programs nationwide. 'Tama iyan ano, mayroon ding bata na nakita si Presidente kanina doon sa dialysis center,' said DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa during a Malacañang press briefing on Wednesday. (That's right, the President even saw a child at the dialysis center earlier.) President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has since ordered the development of a CKD prevention program to address the root causes of the disease, such as diabetes and hypertension. 'Ang CKD natin ngayon karamihan dahil sa diabetes at hypertension... inatasan ako na palakasin iyong primary care prevention part,' Herbosa said. (Most of our CKD cases today are due to diabetes and hypertension… the President instructed me to strengthen our primary care prevention.) He also pointed to the need for lifestyle changes, especially among the youth. 'Mataas siguro iyong sugar content ng ating mga kinakain, gawan ng paraan para mabawasan ito... iyong ating mga kabataan mabigyan ng tamang ehersisyo or active,' he added. (Maybe our food has too much sugar—we need to find ways to reduce it… our young people need proper exercise and physical activity.) Herbosa emphasized that encouraging healthy habits is more cost-effective in the long run: 'Kapag ang tao ay kumakain nang tama, hindi masyadong matatamis, hindi magkaka-diabetes iyan. Kapag hindi nagka-diabetes iyan, hindi magkakaroon ng chronic kidney disease.' (If a person eats properly and avoids too much sugar, they won't get diabetes. Without diabetes, they won't develop chronic kidney disease.) Meanwhile, PhilHealth president and CEO Dr. Edwin Mercado said the agency has allocated around ?300 billion for its total benefit packages in 2025, which includes support for kidney transplant patients and dialysis services. 'Ang huli po naming tantiya ay aabot na po ng mga ?300 billion po ang aming total benefit package na nakalaan po ngayong taong ito,' Mercado confirmed. (Our latest estimate is that the total benefit package for this year will reach about ?300 billion.) PhilHealth's benefit budget for 2026 is currently being planned, with projections based on disease prevalence and expected program expansion. Mercado also addressed concerns about coverage under PhilHealth's Z Benefit Package, which includes kidney transplants. For ward patients, the package fully covers the procedure, including professional fees. For private room patients, the coverage is negotiated with doctors and may require additional agreements between patient and provider. 'Iyong tinatawag namin na Z Package... kapag po doon sa mga ward accommodation... dapat po ay wala nang babayaran,' Mercado said. (In the Z Package, when the procedure is done in ward accommodation, there should be no more out-of-pocket costs.) 'For private [rooms], it's negotiated with doctors… substantially, yes [doctor's fees are covered],' he added, clarifying that excess charges must be discussed before the procedure. Asked about proposed amendments to the Universal Health Care Act—which may reduce PhilHealth premiums from 5% to 3–3.5%—Mercado confirmed that impact studies are underway. 'Gumawa po kami ng pag-aaral... may 3.5%, may 4%, may 4.5%, may 5%—at tiningnan po namin iyong impact doon sa lifespan po ng pondo,' he said. (We conducted studies with various scenarios—3.5%, 4%, 4.5%, 5%—and evaluated their impact on the fund's sustainability.) To ensure continuity of services, PhilHealth is also enhancing internal systems to fast-track claim processing and reduce turnaround times. 'Ramdam po nila iyong pag-iigsi ng claims cycle po namin,' Mercado said, noting improvements from 40-day processing to an average of 23 days in many regions, with some achieving 15 days. PhilHealth is now targeting a seven-day processing time and is working with partner banks to shift from weekly to daily claim disbursements. As part of broader reforms, PhilHealth is reprocessing nearly ?9 billion worth of previously denied claims, especially those filed late between 2018 and 2024. The current rate of denied or returned claims has dropped from over 10% to around 4%. 'Ngayon po na medyo nahabol na natin, iyon naman pong pabalik ang aming tutukan,' Mercado said. (Now that we've addressed incoming claims, we'll shift focus to backlogs from previous years.)—LDF, GMA Integrated News
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Former Blakely police officer faces animal abuse charges
Former Blakely Police Officer Anthony Mercado is facing animal abuse charges after an animal control officer found several dogs at his home in poor condition, according to a criminal complaint. Mercado worked for the department until recently, when he was let go because of the charges, according to Police Chief Guy Salerno. According to the criminal complaint: On April 29, Humane Society Officer Marci Zeiler received a report of a dog in very poor condition at Mercado's residence. The report included a photo of a dog that appeared to be extremely emaciated. On April 30, Zeiler contacted Salerno to discuss the situation. Zeiler then met with both Mercado and Salerno at the Police Department to discuss the condition of the dog. Mercado said the dog, a female boxer, was thin, but just simply didn't gain weight even though she ate well. He said she had a wound on her front leg that he was treating himself. The three then went to Mercado's home on Hickory Street in Peckville. He asked if Zeiler could inspect the dogs outside, but said she could walk through the house to get to the backyard. When Zeiler stepped inside the house, she was hit with the smell of urine. There were two animals inside the residence: a German shepherd on a leash and a 'lab type dog' in a crate near the back door. Mercado first let the German shepherd outside to be inspected. The dog had a dull coat and was losing tufts of hair. It scored a 4 out of 9 on a body condition score scale. Zeiler then inspected the Lab, who also scored only a 4 out of 9 on a body condition score scale. She noted that because the Lab was a puppy, she hadn't initially been concerned. However, Mercado said the Lab had been 'really fat' when he got it a few months ago, but had lost weight. Both dogs were dirty, as was the yard, Zeiler said. Mercado pointed out there were food and water bowls in the backyard, but they were empty and dirty. Zeiler then inspected the boxer, who scored only a 1 on the body condition score scale. 'Every bone in her body was visible,' Zeiler wrote in the complaint. 'She had an open wound on her right front carpal joint with extreme swelling, She had open sores on her left front carpal joint, both ischium bones on her back end and the end of her tail. Her feet had urine stains turning her white marks yellow.' Mercado said the dog lived in a crate. He said the crate currently had feces in it, but claimed he cleaned it often. Zeiler told Mercado he could surrender the boxer or she could come back with a warrant. Mercado said he would take the boxer to a veterinarian, but Zeiler said it was too late for that, and Mercado agreed to surrender her voluntarily. Zeiler told Mercado that if she took the animal back to the shelter and she immediately gained weight, that would indicate he hadn't been feeding her enough. Mercado took issue with that logic, saying the animal would have access to intravenous fluid and have a different standard of care. When Zeiler put the boxer in her vehicle to transport her back to Griffin Pond Animal shelter, the animal began to 'eat anything she could find.' Once at the shelter, a veterinarian examined the animal and noted she didn't have any conditions that would account for her low weight. The boxer, named Reya, ate and drank enthusiastically and was put on a refeeding program to gain weight slowly and steadily. Lab tests indicated that Reya was positive for giardia — an intestinal parasite — and she was successfully treated with medication costing less than $20. Although giardia sometimes causes some weight loss, it doesn't usually affect older dogs. The boxer gained about 20 pounds over the course of the next month and was adopted. Mercado — who is charged with cruelty to animals and animal neglect — is 'awaiting preliminary hearing,' according to court documents.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Latino vendors to showcase at expanded 2025 South Main Mercado in Rockford
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The South Main Mercado, a celebration of Rockford's Latino community, will take place again in 2025. In 2023, the Mercado (Spanish for 'market') was held at the Ethnic Heritage Museum, 1129 S Main Street. In 2024, the event expanded to include a variety of Latino vendors, including food trucks and merchandise booths, to bring awareness of Latino-led businesses in the area. The 2025 event will be presented by Hard Rock Casino Rockford and held at 917 S. Main Street on Sunday, June 8th from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Nicor Community Initiative Stage will see performances from Spanish rock, mariachi, folk dancers, and DJ Tornado. A family fun zone will be hosted by the Rockford Park District, including games and interactive activities, including face-painting and a crafting corner. The International Soccer League of Rockford will host fast-paced 3v3 futsal games. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
TRAFFIC ALERT: downtown Moline hosting 2 events, large crowds expected
Drivers heading through downtown Moline on Friday need to plan ahead due to extra traffic from two events that are expected to draw big crowds. The Moline Police Department is issuing a traffic and parking advisory for downtown Moline on Friday, May 23, as two major events are happening simultaneously. Drivers and visitors should plan ahead and allow extra time for travel and parking. Mercado on Fifth launches its Summer Friday Series starting at 5 p.m. at 423 12th Street, with live music, food vendors and community celebrations. The Vibrant Arena at The MARK is hosting the Moline High School Class of 2025 graduation ceremony at 6 p.m. which is expected to bring hundreds of families and students to the arena. Significant traffic congestion and limited parking availability are anticipated throughout the downtown area, especially along 12th Street, River Drive and nearby intersections. Downtown_Parking_2025_05_20Download Parking at the Vibrant Arena will be restricted exclusively to those attending the high school graduation ceremony. No public parking for Mercado on Fifth will be allowed at the arena. Public parking is available in Lot N or Lot Z, in the Centre Station Parking Ramp, Heritage Place Ramp, the City Hall Parking Ramp and other surface lots. The area around 12th Street and 5th Avenue is expected to have limited public parking availability due to Mercado. Street parking is available along 5th Avenue, surrounding lots near Mercado, Lot F, Lot O or Lot V, as well as the parking ramps. Drivers and participants are urged to follow posted signs and directions from law enforcement officers in the area. Numerous police officers will be working both Mercado on 5th and the Vibrant Arena. When possible, consider carpooling, public transportation or rideshare options. Drivers are remined that pedestrian traffic will be heavy and they should exercise caution and patience when traveling near event zones Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
