Efren Penaflorida. I think I first heard or read of the name on some sites promoting fellow Filipinos to vote for him. At first, I was wondering who Efren Penaflorida really is until our Theology teacher talked about him and asked us to vote for him. I also remembered seeing him on a TV commercial asking for people to vote for him, I think.

The story of Efren Penaflorida started when he was 16 years old. Efren Penaflorida’s concern for unschooled children in his hometown of Cavite led him to establish the Dynamic Teen Company. What Efren Penaflorida does is he and some other teens go around the neighborhoods of Cavite with ‘pushcart classrooms’ to teach basic reading and writing and provide free tutorials. Efren Penaflorida offers education for the poor Filipino youth as an alternative to gang membership.

After seven weeks of online voting and more than 2.75 million votes casted, Efren Penaflorida will receive $100,000 after being named 2009 CNN Hero of the Year at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Saturday night. The money he will receive will be used to continue his work with his Dynamic Teen Company.

Efren Penaflorids’s acceptance speech during the All Star Tribute was also really amazing just like the things he does. You can watch the video via CNN: Pushcart educator named CNN Hero of the Year and you can also read a written copy here:

Our planet is filled with heroes, young and old, rich and poor, man, woman of different colors, shapes and sizes. We are one great tapestry. Each person has a hidden hero within; you just have to look inside you and search it in your heart, and be the hero to the next one in need.

So to each and every person inside this theater and for those who are watching at home, the hero in you is waiting to be unleashed. Serve, serve well, serve others above yourself and be happy to serve. As I always tell to my co-volunteers … you are the change that you dream, as I am the change that I dream, and collectively we are the change that this world needs to be.

As a Filipino, I am very proud of Efren Penaflorida and the work he does. I believe that he is more of a hero than most of the people on our government who I think should be more responsible on helping unschooled children of our country. I believe that there are more people like Efren Penaflorida and hope that all of us start being heroes in our own ways. To you Sir Efren Penaflorida, God bless and more power.

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