"Aditako bokodan di gawis" = Let us share our blessings

Dr. Josette Biyo:  Nothing is Impossible for the Filipino, ergo, the Igorot

By Bernice Aquino See

Sunday,  14^th December 2003,  was a historic day for the iSagada in general and Saint Mary’s School [SMS] in particular. Amidst the pine-clad chilly SMS quadrangle stood before the students, faculty and community  a woman who bested 4,000 teachers coming from all over the world to win the  “2002 Intel Excellence in Teaching Award”,  the first Asian to win since its inception in 1997.

What everybody does not know is that way back in April at the 6^th Grand Alumni Homecoming, Engr. Rufino Bomasang,  Class ’58,  was telling the alumni that he met the best science teacher in the whole world, they both having been speakers in the Ayala Young Leaders Congress last February 2003.  She is a Filipina. Her name is Dr. Josette T. Biyo.  In her honor,  he said, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory named a minor planet between Mars and Jupiter in her name.  He then said that if we have to reclaim the glory of  Saint Mary’s School as a premier educational institution,  then we have to get the best also, like this world class teacher,  if not to teach for a short period of time,  then to impart her skills to SMS teachers.   He then said that he will try to find ways of bringing her over. 

SMS went on to be incorporated as an educational institution in September 17, 2003 as Saint Mary’s School of Sagada, Inc.  In November  2^nd,  the  Board of Trustees organized and voted their officers.  Engr. Bomasang was elected as chair unanimously.  Before he accepted the position,  Engr. Bomasang declared that  if the Board is going to be there just to maintain the status quo,  then he was not  going to be a part of it.  But if it is going to make a difference in the lives of the students and community, then he is going to accept it.  Everyone who was present, both the members of the Board and alumni,  declared their commitment to work towards quality education for SMS. This made the raison d’etre of incorporation and electing a Board clear.  It was only then that Engr. Bomasang,  who incidentally is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine National Oil Corporation [PNOC],  to accept the position . 

In mid-November,  Engr. Bomasang passed around the inspiring speech of this woman scientist teacher.  He also mentioned that he has already  sent Dr. Biyo an invitation letter to consider serving the Cordillera indigenous youth at SMS.  In a few days,  Dr. Biyo  replied that before she commits anything, she would like to visit Sagada first.  She mentioned that she will be in Baguio on December 13^th for a speaking engagement.  Later we came to know that just after Dr. Biyo received Engr. Bomasang’s letter,  she received the invitation letter from Baguio.  Serendipity being on our side,  it was then scheduled that she will come to Sagada on the  14^th.  Engr.  Bomasang brought her to us as promised.

SMS prepared a program for the visit,  mobilizing the students, faculty and the community.  The highlight of the program was the sharing of Br. Biyo on her trek to where she is now.  In her sharing,  she mentioned that her becoming a teacher was a reason of poverty.  When she graduated from the Philippine Science High School Diliman campus,  she took up Biology since she wanted to go into medicine.  However, since they were eight in the family,  there  was no way that she could take up medicine as her father’s salary as a public school teacher was not enough to send her to medical school.

Her story is inspiring because she said that we should not be tied down with lack of facilities.  Her first eight years of teaching in a rural school under  spartan conditions gave her opportunity to harness the available resources both in school and in the community.  This has been her strength  - being creative and innovative in the face of challenges.  Lack of facilities should not be seen as a problem but challenge.  She also said that  constant search for knowledge and strategies should be the hallmarks of an educator because of the dynamic world we are in. 

‘My road to attaining this international  recognition  is  a  very  long  23 years  of  improving  and harnessing  my  craft  as  a  teacher.   I consistently study and learn new skills  to  improve  my  method  of  teaching.   I want  my  methods to be interesting,  Relevant,  and  fun for students.  For just like any product, the measure of teaching success is clientele satisfaction. “

Dr. Biyo came with her husband, Nonito.  Mrs. Soledad Belingon, a retired SMS teacher,  remarked that Mr. Biyo must be very  supportive of Josette for the latter to be able to do the things she does.  Mr. Biyo said that what is important is for them to be happy.  Josette added that actually, Nonito is her unpaid research assistant, and as a matter of fact,  Josette involves her whole family in her researches.  Their two children contribute to her researches by participating in tasks that they can do.  Her then 4-year old youngest son  took care of tagging her seaweed when she was monitoring the growth of seaweed in one of her researches.  The other son would monitor the tidal height.  Her husband would monitor her dives.   Dr. Biyo’s success then is a family success.

To dispel snide remarks that commonly arises in success stories like this,  she said that the direction of her career is a choice she made.  Her growing up in a big family in the rural area, albeit in  happy nurturing environment,  her experience in teaching in a  public secondary school in a poor rural area, her knowledge of the situation of teachers in the country,  and the opportunities for economic and professional advancement in the big educational and research institutions here and abroad,   has made Josette choose to serve the Filipino people in general, and the underserved rural youth in particular.  Her family had to let go of a middle class home in order to cope with such a choice, and live in a bamboo house “because it is what our money can buy.”   She mentioned how her children were heartbroken to leave their comfortable home.   Now,  Josette and Nonito’s precious reward is in their eldest son’s remark:  “This house is not going to be sold ever.” 

What has Dr. Biyo taught us?  To teach is a vocation.  To choose to teach is to commit to be a student forever.  To learn is to share.  Make a choice.  When she encountered teachers who could not access opportunities for improving their craft,  she decided to see what she can do.  She organized her colleagues  to undertake workshops on strategies and other special topics in the Western Visayas region. Now this outreach program is reaching Mindanao.  A schedule this summer is now targetted for Mindanao. She networked in the regional and national levels.   In Engr. Bomasang’s letter,  he asked Dr. Biyo to come to Sagada to also serve the indigenous youth at SMS.  After her visit,  she is ready to consider inserting time to come this summer to Sagada to conduct a training on teaching science research which will integrate strategies.

With her stature now,  she is using this opportunity to share her life ands experiences in order to show people that our situation is full of challenges which are actually opportunities to make a difference.  What inspires any listener is Dr. Biyo’s humbling experience of not being tied down with titles and remuneration, but to help others make a positive difference in other people’s  lives.

“In  winning this international award, I do not claim  to be the best teacher of  the  land.   There  are  thousands  of best  teachers out there, working silently,  giving their hearts to teaching, without  thinking of benefits or rewards.   I salute these teachers.  In winning this  award, I believe I was just  commissioned by somebody up there to deliver  the message that indeed, Filipino  teachers  can  be world-class teachers. …I have shown to  my  fellow Filipinos that they can   be world-class if they choose to be. That if we do our best, we can  conquer the world.”

When asked why she is teaching high schoolers  in a rural area,  she answered, “Who will teach them?”  Dr. Biyo has a PhD in Biology.  She is not an education graduate but she has bested all the others in science education.

In her talk before 2,500 teachers and potential teachers in Baguio on December 13^th,   she said that actually she was the one who was inspired by the speech of Cheryl Agdaca from Besao who ranked 10th in the latest Licensure Exam for Teachers,   who said,  “God may have made  the universe so that each and everyone of us has a planet in our name.  So when we are down,  we just look up and try to see our planet there.”  Planet Biyo has been named.  Whose is next?

“Indeed, the human spirit has no limits.  If  you dream big, and you  have the  Determination and the will to pursue  your dream, it will become a reality. I dreamt of making stars; I was given a planet.

Dr. Biyo is living the SMS motto:  “ADI TAKO BOKODAN DI GAWIS!”