Filipino Efren Penaflorida in Top 10 of CNN Heroes of Year

MANILA – For some time now, Efren Penaflorida, 28, has become a familiar figure in the slum areas of towns in Cavite province in Southern Luzon. As he pushes his cart and comes into view, he is welcomed by residents, especially their children.

No, Penaflorida is not in the business of buying trash and other discarded recyclable items, such as plastic bottles, as those using pushcarts are widely perceived to be.

Instead, Penaflorida is in the business of teaching the pre-school and out-of-school children in slum areas reading and writing through his team of like-minded volunteers called the Dynamic Teen Company.

Not surprisingly, his pushcart contains a portable blackboard and reading materials aimed mainly for children. His pushcart also serves as a library from where children can borrow books which they have to return upon his return to their community.

Because of his work, the US cable company CNN announced the selection of Penaflorida as one of the 10 CNN “Heroes of the Year.”

CNN noted that Penaflorida “gives Filipino youth an alternative to gang membership through education. His Dynamic Teen Company’s 10,000 members have taught basic reading and writing to 1,500 kids living in the slums.”

The award comes with a cash reward of $25,000 each which Penaflorida and his nine fellow winners from all over the world will receive during a star-studded gala to be hosted by CNN in Hollywood in November.

In an announcement, CNN said the 10 are being honored for making an “extraordinary difference” in their countries.

But more than that, CNN said Penaflorida and the nine others will vie for the title of “Hero of the Year” which carries with it an additional cash prize of $100,000.

The winner, the CNN also announced, would be based on online voting that started on Saturday.

CNN said its 10 Heroes have been selected by an elite panel from at least 9,000 nominations received all over the world. The panel includes former US state secretary Colin Powell, actress Whoopi Goldberg, media tycoon Ted Turner, singer Shakira and Sir Elton John.

CNN’s selection of Penaflorida for the coveted award comes at a time when about three million Filipinos have yet to recover from the trauma, suffering and misery they have undergone since massive floods, brought by typhoon “Ondoy,” struck Metro Manila and neighboring areas in Central and Southern Luzon.

Worsening the problem was that after Ondoy had exited, another powerful typhoon, “Pepeng,” arrived a week later and pummeled extreme Northern Luzon with its center winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 210 kph.

In separate interviews printed in newspapers and aired over radio and TV, Penaflorida said he was sharing his honor with the nameless other Filipino heroes, some of whom gave up their lives, in rescuing people from the recent “big flood.”

He said: “This is for all of us, especially for those who became heroes during the calamity. I am very sure we have many heroes in the country.”

At the same time, Penaflorida admitted that he learned he was one of the 10 CNN awardees from his friends since they don’t have cable TV in their simple home located in Cavite City.

But he did not say whether he would spend part of his cash reward in subscribing to a cable TV station.

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