Feast of St. Michael, The Arcangel

Nef of Iligan, Kidapawan, Cebu team forwarded me a text message of a feast day. It reminded me and decided to celebrate the feast of the angel saint I was named after: St. Michael. Ye! I am Michael, not Pyk. To complete it...I am Michael Patrick. Patrick, being another saint. 

My mother named me after these two saints just before my baptism. She dreamt St. Michael carrying the statue of St. Patrick. 

Thank God! I was named after them. Though my name is bluntly flat and common, I am grateful I am named after it instead of Mark Eugene. Imagine calling me Mark or Eugene or Huge or Gene! EWWWWWWWWW. 

I also take pride in disclosing my real name because it is associated with Sex and The City's producer Michael Patrick King hehehe

I switched to Pyk because it was cool to have a new name as i entered a new phase of my life after college. Pyk is an accidental name! My previous employer misheard my Mike as Pyk during a job interview. Then, ting, i found it fittingly cute that i immediately replied, "yes, mam, it's Pyk!" And so, I was reborn and known in the entire development industry by it. My mom even scolded me for not working after she called my office and found that there was no employee named Michael Patrick. 

Being named after two saints was somehow serendipitous to my previous obsession of becoming a priest. I really felt I would be serving the Church, but I found Greta. Still my current girlfriend, Greta absolutely turned my course and I am so grateful to have such turn. 

I am Michael Patrick. I am not a gun dealer. I am not a priest. I am a peace and development worker. You can call me Michael Patrick and Pyk. Either way, I am at peace with both names.

Happy St. Michael Day and thank you, Ma! 

Our Roots

Our start is dark, but we are thankful of our roots (honest!), especially our mentors from Badgoys and even to Luan, the founder of Davao Ultimate! We started with a hype to be different. We were so few then, but we finally grew big in a recent beach frisbee tournament.




We have been playing for 13 months in Agro. We played with the best teams in South, including Dumaguete and Cebu. Roaches, too, in Davao Tournament, Iligan Tournament, Ultimo Abril in Cebu and Davao Beach Ultimate Frisbee.









We are still too young to play in Manila Spirits and Bora Open, but we are going there. We are gradually reinventing our spirit and lashing out our dark start for Ultimate...for friendship...for respect....for the Spirit of the Game!

Cute Pacquiao

Pacquiao just made my day! ang cute cute nya talaga

Ang Totoong Thank You, Girls

Eto ang totoong istorya sa likod ng The Thank You, Girls movie. Ako (sa katauhan ni Chris) at si Dad Pidot (sa katauhan ni Dad Paola). 

Oo! Bakla ako. Bakla kami. Palag ka? Bwahahahahahahaha 

Daddy ko si Pidot at ako ang anak nya "sa dugo". Mag-ina kami. O diva! Majadera ako pero masunurin na anak. Totoo ang karamihan sa pelikula pero ang mga istorya ay bungad sa iba-ibang tao na nagampanan. Oo! Totoo lahat na may limang bakla na nakipagsapalaran sa Cagayan para sa Miss Gay (MG). Totoo din ang istorya ni Macariu, Alyson at Adora. 

Pero, eto ang pinaka-totoo. Buhay ko din ang ginampanan ni Alyson—ang beteranang bakla na dating lalaki! At si Greta ay si Adora—ang babaeng nag-host sa Cagayan MG na naging gf ko bago ako naging bakla. At si Macariu—defined by Alyson as darkness—ay si Monci. Hindi talaga siya bakla. Pero totoo, gusto nya maging rockstar...at dancer. 

At malaking OO! Lahat ng tanong at sagot sa MG ay totoo. simula sa tanong na, "define darkness", hanggang sa "if you are trapped in an island, how did you get there and why? at what is the very essence of homosexuality". O diva! those were really socially-relevant questions. 

Hindi na kami nag-Zamboanga, sa totoo lang. Hindi na rin kami bakla ngayon at isa lang ang nag-Diana pills sa amin (si Bernadette). Di na namin kelangan yung kasi kusang malalaki na ang mga dibdib namin. O sya. Thank You,......Boys hehehehe

Senator Mar, For P...Photo Shot

Goofy, i (lightly) grabbed Senator Mar. This time, no frisky alibis, like with John Loyd,...and politics.  Senator played on and we finally have a photo together in my 5-year stint with Gerry Roxas Foundation. I literally wanted a solo shot with him, but my officemates just inserted themselves in.  

Light A Ceasefire Campaign

CEASEFIRE NOW and a return to the NEGOTIATING TABLE

Light a candle every day from 7-7:30pm in a visible place;

Invite people to join and pray for peace;

Send this letter to families and friends;  

Wear a blue ribbon until the call is heeded; and 

Affix your name or your group's name below and send to mcw@mindanawomen.org.  Initially, the following have signed up.

            Mothers for Peace

            Muslim Women Peace Advocates

            Mindanao Commission on Women

            Mindanao Young Women Leaders Forum

            Political Caucus of Women Leaders in Mindanao

            Irene M. Santiago

            Margie Moran Floirendo

            Amina Rasul Bernardo

            Arlene S. Lozano

            Patricia M. Sarenas

            Ruth T. Montojo

            Nida P. Dans

            Myra Balandra

            Geejay Arriola

            Madett Gardiola

            Sarah Matalam

    Pyk Sibbaluca

Im Not Leftist, Just Was and Left-leaning

There has always been (and growing) hatred against our government and institutions, as well. Such hatred, i think, is becoming eternal. 

The question is: WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO LEAN/DEPEND/ASK/TRUST ON THEM? 

Why still trust and waste time on ranting against big institutions? It is HIGH TIME to re-trace ourselves, as humans, for self-development to the BASIC UNIT: family and self. 

Be the best person and build a family who could provide things, including what the government and institutions usually provide. 

My First Ramadan

My head aches, but i feel lighter (ye, i worry of gaining weight) and less distracted.

Hay salamat! My first fasting in 2 days was successful and i am not even hungrier. I am quite even charmed to Ramadan that it would not be my last. Yes, I am on Ramadan as Christian.

This Ramadan is my small act of peace for our Muslim brothers. It may not be as grand as the current "peace process" (if there still is), but at least, I am sharing their faith, much like share ours.

Islam is basically similar to Christianity. It also prays to our (Christian) God. It also traces its roots to Abraham. In fact, Qur'an is a continuation of Truth, taught by Moses, Jesus and other great prophets. Guess what!

• two thirds of Qur'an account Bible events;
• Qur'an mentions angel Gabriel, Noah, Eve, Solomon and other Bible characters;
• Qur'an even mentions Mary more than the Bible does;
• Qur'an recognizes other Holy Books (Torah by Moses, Psalms of David, etc.) and the prophets who brought them;

Qur'an does not merely mention them (above), but actually believes on them. It is in fact their fundamental creed of faith. The single distinction, though, between Christian and Muslim is the divinity of prophet. To Muslims, Jesus is not God.

The distinction is minor and highly negligible. So, the heck with people and media who exaggerates Christian-Muslim conflict.

Join me, instead, in this crusade of peace. Do Ramadan, much like some Muslims celebrate Christmas. As from a Muslim friend, do not merely fast, do good too to people and our Muslim brothers. If they may not be friendly, see it in the cultural context, not on Islam.

If you cannot, then at least you could help. Go to nanaynirashidmom.blogspot. com

Happy Ramadan and Peace!