Filipino Efren Peñaflorida Named 2009 CNN Hero of the Year
November 23, 2009 Filed Under (Education, Event, News) 790 views
Another Filipino brings us pride, Efren Peñaflorida was named the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year at Hollywood gala last Saturday in the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Anderson Cooper of CNN made the said announcement. CNN headline called Penaflorida as the “pushcart educator“.
Efren Peñaflorida gave education to the Filipino youth in the slums so that they can stay away from wasting their lives as being members of a gang. His Dynamic Teen Company has 10,000 members who teach basic reading and writing to about 1,500 kids. He will receive $100,000 to fund grant and continue his wonderful work with the Dynamic Teen Company. Each of the top 10 Heroes receives $25,000.
The 2009 CNN Hero of the Year was selected after seven weeks of online voting at CNN.com. I was able to take part of this and proudly voted for Penaflorida. There were more than 2.75 million casted votes online, a record number according to CNN.
Penaflorida came up the stage while Mariah Carey’s song Hero was played. A touching moment which makes one cry with tears of pride for a Filipino. The line in Efren’s speech that touched me most… “Serve, serve well, serve others above yourself and be happy to serve.” Here is the acceptance speech of Filipino Efren Peñaflorida named 2009 CNN Hero of the Year.
“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,” Peñaflorida said upon accepting the honor. “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 in 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. Mabuhay!“
The top 10 CNN Heroes listed below were chosen by a blue-ribbon panel from more than 9,000 viewer nominations.
2009 Top 10 CNN Heroes:
- Brad Blauser, Texas
- Roy Foster, Florida
- Doc Hendley, NC
- Andrea Ivory, Florida
- Betty Makoni, Zimbabwe
- Jorge Munoz, New York
- Efren Peñaflorida, Philippines
- Budi Soehardi, Indonesia
- Derrick Tabb, New Orleans
- Jordan Thomas, Tennessee
The CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE will be aired at CNN on Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 9pm ET & PT.
Click on the photo above to see the CNN Heroes video.
That’s a good news! my hubby called me but I didn’t understand what he said because I’m too busy “telling me about the hero of the year” . Now I know what he meant to tell me that Efren Peñaflorida won the hero of the year.
That is something to be proud of!