Emelia Ablir, a staff member of the Food Services Department of Silliman University since 1991, was honored by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) during a recognition ceremony held at its Dumaguete City office on March 31.
The event marked the culmination of National Women’s Month 2025, during which BSP celebrated women from various sectors who “inspire, uplift, and pave the way for future generations.”
Ablir, whose nickname is “Bobong,” but who is popularly known as “Nining” among those who patronize the university cafeteria, expressed her joy over the recognition, but admitted feeling even more moved when a BSP employee, a Silliman alumna who remembered her, congratulated her and described the award as a testament to her decades of dedication and exceptional service to Sillimanians.
The endearment, “Nining,” has been carried on through the years from students who became alumni and onwards to their own children and grandchildren who have been recipients of Ablir’s extraordinary brand of service “with a smile and a quick banter” about their whereabouts today.
Ablir has earned a beloved reputation for her warmth and kindness toward the university cafeteria patrons. She prefers the name “Nining” for its charming, affectionate sound, not to mention its cute ring to it and easy utterance even among small children or international students.
“Kung mugamit ka ug ‘Dodong’ [or Inday], pwede man gud siya mura pinabundak. Pero ang ‘Nining’ kay mura gyud ka ga-sampit ug pinalangga,” Ablir explains. [“Calling someone ‘Dodong’ [or Inday] may sound crass or brusque. But ‘Nining’ can evoke a kind of sweetness.”]
Ablir herself is a wife and mother whose children have become successful in their chosen endeavors, making her truly proud that her hard work and perseverance have paid off. This is likewise an added blessing as she shares in the life stories of generations of Dumaguetenos and Sillimanians who she has brushed elbows with in various occasions.
The celebration of National Women’s Month of the BSP carried the theme, “Babae sa Lahat ng Sektor, Aangat ang Bukas sa Bagong Pilipinas.” Alongside the awarding of “Angat na Kababaihan sa Iba’t Ibang Sektor” as a culminating activity, the program also featured a gender and development talk on women’s sexual and reproductive health. | NWI
