A promotion is the best reward for Easter Wahayna-Pablo after receiving her award virtually Wednesday for being named as the country’s second best librarian in the 2021 Search for Gawad Parangal Sa Natatanging Propesyonal Na Tagapangasiwa At Tagapaglingkod Sa Pampublikong Aklatan by the National Library of the Philippines (NLP) and The Asia Foundation.
Pablo was honored along with her two co-awardees during the virtual awarding ceremony which served as the closing ceremonies of the 1st ASEAN Virtual Regional Conference of Public Librarians via Zoom.
Wahayna-Pablo is the first librarian from the Cordilleras to receive the parangal, which is considered to be the highest and most prestigious recognition given to professional librarians and non-librarians working for the empowerment of libraries in the Philippines.
The award gave due recognition to the hard work and effort of the entire Baguio City Public Library where she was appointed officer-in-charge on September 2020.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong has appointed her City Librarian this month following her achievement.
She also received a resolution of commendation award which was handed over by Magalong and city officials during Wednesday’s award. While her home province of Ifugao has conferred her the Achiever’s Award given by the Provincial Government of Ifugao thru Vice Gov. Glenn Prudenciano. last August 16.
Wahayna-Pablo is a graduate of bachelor of science in education major in library science from Saint Louis University. She holds a Masters degree in library and information technology, cum laude, from the same institution and a Masters in Public Administration from Benguet State University.
She garnered 4th place in the 1999 board examination for professional librarians and is a registered librarian and licensed professional teacher.
Pablo has been with the city government for more than 20 years.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, she initiated school-based reading programs, barangay visitations for the establishment of a reading center, in-house library orientations, research for the library’s modernization, among others.
She also spearheaded programs during the pandemic like the PLVIRA (Public Library Virtual Reference Assistance); online library and information services month activities, online contests and trivia, book drive for reading centers in far flung areas in collaboration with Project 360, book lover’s club and provide support to the city’s pandemic efforts.
The other awardees are Cagayan Provincial Learning Resource Centfer Librarian IV Michael Pinto for first place, while Soledad Fabian took third place. She is the Librarian IV of Antipolo City Library.
