My own trip to planet Biyo
Dr. Josette Biyo talks about her planet at the book
launching of " A Trip to Planet Biyo"
Anything that glimmers in the late night sky is a feast for the eye and a journey for the heart and mind. One does not need to understand the complexities of science to appreciate the colossal picture above him to know that what is bigger can be held not by strong hands but by a believing heart.
Halfway through my grilled chicken, my name was called out and so in an instant, I froze wishing Mr. Don Protasio had put my name on the bottom of the list. There I was, about to shake the hand of "a planet" and my fingers were greasy from a short but interesting engagement with Mang Inasal's specialty.
Dr. Josette Talamera-Biyo's book preview was simply resplendent. It was a heartening experience listening to somebody with a huge name hung over our solar system but still has her feet planted firmly on the ground. And not just in any ground, but here in Iloilo where she struggled, tirelessly built ladders(and continues to engineer these long and fruitful climbs bringing along her students with her) to reach the cosmic skies. Just as we all thought that a great sense of humor and faith in our own personal God were enough to survive life's little misfortunes, there's a truth we all ought to know. Those are the two exact things that brought Dr. Biyo to her planet.
I liken Dr. Biyo to a beautiful leviathan ship that carries with her not only ordinary people, but young people with dreams and the will to make them come true by dedicating themselves to endless discoveries. This ship travels with them, cradles them and most of all, gives them the determination to reach their destination.
I sat at the back of the room quietly with so many questions inside my head and just like when you're in a classroom full of screaming kids with all sorts of questions, I ended up with my mouth shut not knowing which thought to entertain first. However, I got my answers the day after my book was signed. With a cup of coffee and my paperworks all behind me, I flipped each page looking for the answer to my questions.
"A Trip to Planet Biyo" is a charming autobiography. Unlike autobiographies of famous people we just pick up from bookstores, this one gives the Ilonggo reader (or in my case, somebody who has lived quite a number of years in Iloilo) a sense of belonging. It feels like reading about the success of a next door neighbor you know by heart. The only thing I was able to say to Dr. Biyo the afternoon of her book preview was my name and how it's spelled, although I wanted so much to ask her if she had esoteric powers to chase villains away since she's now the captain of Planet Biyo. Silly, I know. But when I was across somebody who had a planet named after her, I experienced a sweet and temporary regression. I was like a kid having my book signed by a superhero and this time, she's somebody else's mother who lives in the same city as I do.
The book is a picturesque description of Dr. Biyo's past (The Birth of a Star), a time when she experienced the early punches of having to survive the life of the poor and learning how to live within one's own means; the numerous successes she has been experiencing in the recent past and present (Planet Biyo Revolves) and her tribute to the most important people around her (The Stars in the Pinoy Galaxy).
You will feel the beauty of the book when you get to the end of it and you know that it is still humility that holds this person and her family together.
A selfless educator, a loving mother and an inspiration to all, Dr. Biyo is world champion when it comes to teaching. She was the winner of the 2002 Intel Excellence in Teaching Award and a recipient of other major national and international awards. What she has recently achieved is that planet between Mars and Jupiter named after her by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratory, USA.
Here's one for your new 2006 collection. I just got back from my own trip.
E-mail the author at jinki_young@yahoo.com