December has always been a month of gleeful anticipation for every Filipino because of the joyous celebrations, merry-making and gift-giving. Celebrating the holiday season in UP Diliman is always met with many events and activities organized by student organizations and academic units here and there. More so, the entire community comes together to enjoy the much awaited annual Lantern Parade which features, as the name suggests, lanterns created by the academic units, administrative offices, and organizations within the campus that would best represent a given theme. However, for the second time amidst the pandemic, the lantern parade was celebrated virtually. For its part, the University Library launched ”Isang Parol, Isang UP, Isang Daan sa 2022,” in conjunction with the centenary of the University Library. Similar to the Star of Bethlehem which guided the Three Wise Men to the manger where Jesus was born, the UP Diliman Libraries hope to reaffirm its mission to guide users towards credible and trustworthy information in the form of a lantern or, more commonly known to us Filipinos as parol.
The Library Extension Committee (LEC) headed by Mr. Rhoel Rondilla, distributed a total of one hundred parols to unit libraries and campus residents. Personal hygiene kits were also provided to the campus residents. When asked about the reactions of the beneficiaries upon receiving their parols, ”Sa unit libraries ako nag-distribute. Natuwa mga librarians lalo na sa mga kulay. Mayroong mga nagrequest ng kulay ayon sa kulay ng kanilang kolehiyo at looking forward sila sa ika-100 taon ng libraries. Mayroon akong isang nabigyan ng parol sa Area 2, photocopying services. Nag congratulate at naka post sa FB page nila,” Mr. Rondilla said. Apart from the LEC, this endeavor was made possible through the support of the Strategic Communication, Research and Marketing Section and the Asosasyon ng Aklatan at Sinupan ng Diliman, Inc.
Despite the difficulties brought forth by the pandemic, the U.P. Libraries will always find ways to effectively serve its present and future stakeholders in the next one hundred years.