A Modern-day Hero




Ever heard of Efren Peñaflorida? Good for you, if you do. Well, if you haven't heard that name yet, he is a Filipino who's nominanted for the CNN 2009 Heroes.


He is the founder of Dynamic Teen Company (DTC), an organization training young children to become responsible, systematic and principled.

He is one of the nominees of Global Youth Awards 2008 in the Humanos category. He is also cited as one of the 2009 CNN Heroes.

F! was born to Efren Peñaflorida Sr. and Lucila Geronimo. A middle child of a tricycle driver and a housewife, F! grew up near the city’s open dumpster where he plays, and swims in the garbage beach when he was very young.

He was featured in a World Vision, USA documentary about kids living in the worst conditions. Despite of these conditions, F! showed responsibility when their family started a noodle micro business to help make both ends meet. An intelligent student in elementary, he was given scholarship assistance by World Vision Phils.

A very studious and industrious F! was given several class honors and awards in elementary and high school. He was awarded highest honor for Associate in Computer Technology of San Sebastian College- Recoletos Batch 2000.

For several years, he’s a regular viajero of fish crackers from Baclaran to Cavite and sells these in school to be able to help his family. It has been his commitment to improve the standard of public secondary education.

He has been conducting free tutorial classes to more than 50 high school and college students for more than four years already. He is currently enrolled at Cavite State University, pursuing Secondary Education as a second course to be able for him to make more difference in the lives of other youth in the near future.


AWARDS RECEIVED
  • Regional Winner, Outstanding Volunteer Awards
    NEDA – 2008, Calamba, Laguna
  • Outstanding Caviteño in Republic Service
    2008, Independence Day Celebration, Cavite
  • Finalist for Global Youth Awards
    2008, Southhampton, UK
  • Official Nominee for Right Livelihood Award Foundation
    2005, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Gawad Geny Lopez Jr. Bayaning Pilipino Regional Winner
    2004, ABS-CBN Studio 1, Quezon City
  • Golden Anahaw Awardee as Outstanding Community Servant
    2004, CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY (CAVITE CITY CAMPUS), CvSU Campus, Cavite City
  • Role Model Awardee
    2004, City Gov’t Award for CAVITE CITY WEEK, City Hall, Cavite City
  • Most Outstanding VBS Staff
    1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 , Club 8586 Center, Cavite City
  • Excellent Member Awardee
    1997, LDES Multi-Purpose Hall, Club 8586 INC. Cavite City
  • Model Sunday School Student Award
    1995, 1996, 1997, Club 8586 Center, Cavite City



TJ Manotoc of ABS-CBN news discussed Efren's work and heroic actions. Here is a short snippet from his article.

"An organization of young Filipinos is actively making a difference in the lives of children in depressed areas. The Dynamic Teen Company (DTC) aims to uplift the lives of underprivileged children younger than themselves through education. Armed with only a pushcart full of books and other educational materials, DTC brings the classroom to children and educate in slum areas, dumpsites and even in the cemetery.
Formed in 1997 in Cavite by Efren Peñaflorida, its mission then was to keep the youth away from trouble and vices.

“Nakita namin yung pinaka-ugat ng problema na nanggagaling sa mga slum areas kung saan ginu-groom yung mga future gang members, gang leaders, so kaya nag-start kami noong 1999 na mag reach out sa mga bata sa slum area, para dun pa lang ma-guide na namin sila na di sila sumama sa mga ibang klaseng activities,” said Peñaflorida.

Born to tricycle driver Efren Sr. and housewife Lucila, Peñaflorida grew up near the city's dumpsite where he spent most of his younger years playing and swimming in the garbage beach. Hardworking and intelligent, Penaflorida’s commitment is to improve the standard of public secondary education. For more than four years, he has been giving free tutorial classes to high school and college students.

Penaflorida exudes the qualities of an everyday hero. His life would seem ordinary, but the tasks he undertakes are extraordinary earning the respect of his peers and even parents whom he helped in the past.

There was a time when he skipped a class to convince a peer to abandon his attempt to kill himself. He also stood up against an abusive teacher and brought the complaint to the City Schools Division Superintendent to protect his classmates.

Penaflorida had his share of bad experiences while growing up near the slums. He had fallen prey to bullies and solvent kids in the area.
By the age of 16, he knew he had to do something to change all these. Together with some classmates, they started DTC.

Today, Penaflorida wants to address the growing issue of juvenile delinquents. He also wants to address moral, and the values of education of today's youth.

Michael Advincula is a living example of the group’s positive work. The organization was able to help Advincula turn his life around for the better. Advincula used to be a thief and an Akyat Bahay gang member.

Now, he is a full time volunteer and scholar of DTC. “Nagbago po yung buhay ko dahil sa pagtutuok nila sa akin. Tinuro nila lahat ng pwede kong malaman, na dahil po doon nakita ko na kaya po pa lang tumulong at tulungan yung mga tulad ko po. Dati sa madilim na parte ng buhay, sila po nag-angat ng buhay ko,” said Advincula."

He is not only a Cavite's Pride and Finest. Efren is definitely a Philippines pride and finest. So folks, please do vote for him! To powervote, click this: I SUPPORT EFREN!

You may also want to check out the following resources for more information.

Efren's Biography from Dynamic Teen Company
TJ Manotoc's ABS-CBN News article about Efren.
Check out F's CNN Hero Profile.
Watch F's Video from CNN.

*infos gathered from zimbio.com

Who's to be Blamed?

Last September 26, 2009, a wild typhoon hit some major parts of  Luzon including Metro Manila and the Southern Tagalog. Typhoon Ondoy's presence was felt from Friday to Saturday. It really brought a lot of rain that eventually caused flash floods and land slides. Nobody expected that this disaster will flood the Metro. Most parts of Manila were greatly affected. Some flood even reached the tip of two-floor houses. Imagine that? Vehicles such as cars, motorbikes and even trucks submerged into the water. Establishments, houses and other properties were destructed.

Now, my question is .. Who must be blamed?

As for my own opinion, the government has not prepared that much for these calamities. Maybe if they're organized, these wouldn't be happening. Where are the promises that they once bragged about? Filipinos are now suffering. They are much in need of relief goods that would make them survive. I wonder why people do their utmost action when the damage has been done. See? If they prepared beforehand, maybe the casualties may have been lessen. They should plan for these catastrophes. They should plan the evacuation center, rescue operation and the distribution of reliefs ahead of time.

Next, hello people of the Philippines! Can you see the effect of what we are all doing? Mother Earth has given us enough time to put things back into place again but it seems like we're just wasting it so she made a tragedy happen. Please, please, please let's take our part in renewing the life of our habitat. There's no other place for humans to live in except Earth. Protect our Mother in our own little ways. I know you know how. The simpliest is to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!

Remembering the Masters of Philippine Independence


We define hero as a savior of a country, the one who brought back the freedom of the countrymen. Where are they now? Some would ask. They are long dead, they are now in our history books or probably in the Philippine peso bill. They stand in monuments or they are now names of roads, highways and landmarks. These would be the probable answers but is it so?

Remember the olden days when everything seemed to be ruined. There's no such time when one can enjoy peace. When everyday, canon balls and ammunition kill lives of the innocent not until these life-savers fought these colonists. Most of them sacrificed their lives for the good of the majority. Some may had choose to fight in a peaceful manner while some used their great power. Either of the two caused liberty. They lived by the others and eventually for the others. And these heroic deeds led to a good effect. The people had their freedom. And now, as we enjoy this sweet scent of independence, we should be grateful about it.

Let us keep in mind that these heroes are not just fictional characters that we watch in movies instead, let them be a reminder for us when nobility and sacrifice were virtues great men and women possessed. As we celebrate our National Heroes Day today, let us give them an appreciation. Let us not waste the freedom that they fought for until their end.

the warrior lay herself to sleep.

PRES. CORAZON AQUINO
January 25, 1933-August 1, 2009

The Philippine's first female president passed away this morning at exactly 3:18 am. It was announced by Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, Cory's son. This news broke the nation into tears upon learning her death. As we all know, the former president has been suffering from cancer of the colon since the early part of 2008. But despite of her disease, she remained strong and cheerful. She also devoted more of her time to religious deeds. She had been into chemotherapy for some time until the doctors decided to stop the sessions due to her declining condition.

If we try to remember the things she did in the past, we can really say that she had done a great job. Who can forget the historical peaceful stands of the Filipinos in EDSA? President Aquino fought for the true meaning of democracy. She does everything not only for her own good.

After her presidency, she remained an influential figure on Philippine politics lending her presence to political causes that needed her iconic stature. She even joined opposition figures in calling for the resignation of Arroyo over allegations of vote-rigging in the 2004 presidential elections.

May this great woman joined her husband now. They (Cory Aquino and Benigno Aquino), had done their job here on earth. May they now rest in peace together with our creator.
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