Efren Penaflorida, the founder of the Dynamic Teen Company in Cavite, won the Bayaning Pilipino award for their heroic work in helping kids keep off the streets through education in the province. It was the work of the young helping the young, the poor helping the poor.
The group upped the ante and bore the Kariton Klassroom, which is a mobile classroom that brings around all their teaching materials to the different areas they service.
Since 1997, more than 10,000 volunteers have helped educate more than 1,500 kids in depressed areas of Cavite.
Peñaflorida teaches at a private school in Cavite City and still accompanies volunteers to the slums every Saturday.
Veteran CNN anchor Anderson Cooper announced that out of 9,000 nominations, and 28 heroes, Penaflorida made it to the elite list of 10 finalists for CNN’s hero of the year. Hence, Penaflorida was recognized a CNN hero of the year.
Penaflorida was in total joy, and disbelief as well, as he could not believe the kind of praise his work continues to get. He even shared that the honors he has received in the past were more than enough to honor him and his country.
“Hindi ko talaga ine-expect ito. Kasi yung una, maging hero pa lang, ok na ok na talaga yun. Pero kahit papano at s’yempre aasa ka na, sana matuloy-tuloy na. Pero ngayon na nandito na, ang hirap paniwalaan. At itong karangalang ito ay di lang para sa akin kundi para sa buong sambayanang Pilipino,” he said.
It was a virtual eye of a needle that Penaflorida had to go through from the 28 heroes to make to the top 10, specially considering the kind of heroic work that the other 27 heroes from all over the world have done, too.
To give the awards justice, CNN enlisted the help of a blue ribbon judging committee to pick the final 10. These men and women are all accomplished in their fields and recognized too for their humanitarian work, to wit: Whoopi Goldberg, retired US General Colin Powell, Sir Elton John, NBA coach Phil Jackson, Ted Turner, and even TV show Hero’s star Masi Oka.
He was even interviewed by Larry King.
All the more, Penaflorida was overwhelmed with making the elite list upon learning that all ten heroes will receive $25,000.00 each, worth P1.2 million.
All the 10 finalists will be flown to Los Angeles in November for the final All-Star Tribute night.
There, the ultimate hero will be announced and will receive an additional US$100,000.
Penaflorida said that the money will not go to his use personally but straight to Dynamic Teen Company’s efforts to expand their work, particularly in Metro Manila.
The online voting has now begun on the CNN Heroes website.
From the 10 finalists, the public will purely decide via the internet votes who will become the ultimate CNN hero of 2009.
With reports from ABS-CBN News Online
as of 10/02/2009 7:09 PM
