Maniolas

Azkals midfielder Stephan Schrock and fellow mainstay Dennis Cagara declared on Twitter and Facebook that they had played their last match under American coach Thomas Dooley, amid speculation they were unhappy over a policy perceived to favour younger players. (Photo from Azkals Facebook page) MANILA (AFP) – American coach Thomas Dooley on Thursday kicked out a European-based mainstay of the Philippines’ national football team and left the future of two other players in doubt following a highly public social media spat. Midfielder Stephan Schrock and fellow mainstay Dennis Cagara declared on Twitter and Facebook this week they had played their last match under Dooley, amid speculation they were unhappy over a policy perceived to favour younger players. Schrock got the boot, while the international careers of goalkeeper Neil Etheridge and left-back Cagara are in limbo after Dooley revealed neither was invited to the Azkals’ training camp for an invitational Peace Cup tournament in Manila next month. Dooley accused them of being “selfish and putting themselves in front of everything”. “If somebody does this it’s the worst thing that could happen to a team…. Even if the best player does something like this it kind of poisons the team, so we have to go against that,” Dooley told a news conference. But the German-born coach reserved most of his venom for Schrock. “You cannot have a player like this in the team. It makes a mess everywhere to me. So it’s clear to me: He’s not playing for me anymore.” The Read More …

CELEBRATING THE SENATE’S 97th ANNIVERSARY. Senate President Franklin M. Drilon addresses Senate officials and employees during the Senate’s flag raising ceremony Monday, October 21. Drilon took the opportunity to thank everyone for what he calls a “selfless act” in deciding to forego plans to celebrate the annual Christmas Party in favor of donating the funds to the victims of recent calamities that struck Visayas and Mindanao. The Senate, which is also celebrating its 97th Anniversary, has also decided to allocate the budget for the anniversary to the victims of the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol and Cebu. (MNS photo) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senate President Franklin Drilon on Monday urged the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to submit to Congress the final draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) before the end of the month. Drilon said the sooner the draft is sent to the Senate and House of Representatives, the better as they will be able to discuss, deliberate and approve it before the year ends or in the first quarter of 2015. “Sana po maibigay sa Kongreso at Senado yung proposed Basic Law by the end of the August para magkaroon kami ng sapat na panahon para talakayin at bago po matapos ang taon o first quarter of next year, amin na pong matapos itong panukalang batas,” he said during a news forum in Manila. The government and MILF peace panels, however, have yet to come up with an agreed version of the BBL even Read More …

Mayor Herbert Bautista (photo courtesy of www.iloveqc.com) MANILA (Mabuhay) – Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista could face charges for slapping a drug suspect who was caught red-handed with P15 worth of shabu during a buy-bust operation last Friday. Bautista has apologized to the public for the incident, saying that he reacted on impulse when the suspect, identified as Zhen Xu, became disrespectful. “Bawal talaga ang pikon kaya I apologized to the public especially the youth. Leaders should not act that way,” he said. The mayor, however, said he will not apologize to the suspect. He said he is prepared to face any investigation on the incident. “Hindi nya rin nirerespeto ang batas natin. Hindi ko napigilan yung sarili ko. Nag-apologize ako kasi hindi naman magandang halimbawa rin sa kabataan yung ginawa ko,” he said. Commission on Human Rights chairwoman Etta Rosales, however, is not pleased with Bautista’s behavior. Rosales said Bautista’s act was clearly physical abuse and a violation of the human rights of the drug suspect. “Even with the Revised Penal Code, that’s maltreatment. Even without physical injuries. I think when Mayor Herbert was trying to explain what the whole thing was all about, that it was impulse, na nababastusan siya because the Chinese suspect did not cooperate, pretended he could not understand, perhaps he couldn’t understand the mayor. We don’t know. He was probably exercising his right to remain silent. That is the Miranda doctrine,” she said. She said the CHR can pursue a case against the Quezon Read More …

Jolina Magdangal, who recently gave birth to son Pele Iñigo, talks about the anxieties and challenges facing new moms.  

Safe Staffing, patient care key concerns at Napa’s Queen of the Valley, Sutter Tracy, and Watsonville Community (photo courtesy of ww.nationalnursesunited.org) Registered nurses at three Bay Area hospitals, Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, Sutter Tracy Community Hospital, and Watsonville Community Hospital will strike on Thursday, August 14 citing common concerns about safe staffing and other patient care needs. Watsonville RNs will strike for three days; Queen of the Valley and Sutter Tracy RNs will strike for one day. The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United represents the RNs at all three hospitals. Queen of the Valley, Napa At Queen of the Valley, the RNs have proposed language to improve staffing to meet state minimum staffing requirements and patient need, rather than to base staffing on budget goals.  The RNs are also proposing the hospital provide sufficient staffing so that RNs are able to take meal and rest breaks without leaving patients without adequate staffing care; many RNs now are unable to take their breaks due to poor staffing. “Nurses at Queen deserve a contract that guarantees our patients get the best care possible. Nurses have been negotiating in good faith for a contract that will help us fight for safe staffing, but now hospital management is demanding language that could gut our contract the day after we agree to it. Nurses are prepared to fight for our future and our hospital,” said MaryLou Bahn, RN, and OB-GYN RN and nurse negotiator at Queen of the Valley. The hospital is also Read More …