Pinoy ‘Pushcart Teacher’ is CNN Hero of the Year
LOS ANGELES—Another Filipino pride and hero to look up to, Efren Peñaflorida, a street educator, has been awarded the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year for initiating a “pushcart classroom” in the Philippines to bring education to unfortunate children rather than to be gang members.
The selection of was revealed on Saturday night by CNN’s Anderson Cooper at the conclusion of the third-annual “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.
As a child, Peñaflorida chose school over gang life in Cavite City and promised himself to build a way for underprivileged children to make the same choice.
He created a program that brings books to children in slums and on the streets, and the 10,000 members of his Dynamic Teen Co. have brought reading, writing and hygiene to 1,500 youngsters.
Peñaflorida, who will receive $100,000 to continue his work, was selected after seven weeks of online voting at CNN.com. More than 2.75 million votes were cast.
“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,” he said.
The top 10 CNN Heroes, chosen by a blue ribbon panel from an initial pool of more than 9,000 viewer nominations, were each honored with a documentary tribute and introduced by a celebrity presenter. Each of the top 10 Heroes received $25,000.
AP and CNN
Photo and news via Inquirer
