CNN Hero of the Year 2009

Let me share with you the great news of the Filipino who won CNN Hero of the Year Award.  I voted for him after I learned that he was among the nominees, then he was included in the 10 finalists, and finally, he won the award.  One great Pinoy, uplifting the image of the Philippines through his work.


Efren Penaflorida, we salute you.

Here's the news taken from ABS-CBN News online:

(UPDATE 2) Pinoy is 2009 CNN Hero of the Year

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abs-cbnNEWS.com
11/22/2009 4:31 PM

MANILA – For bringing education to poor Filipino children through his “Kariton Klassroom,” Filipino Efren Peñaflorida has been awarded the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year at the conclusion of "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Saturday night.



According to CNN Web site, Peñaflorida has been selected after getting the highest number of online votes. More than 2.75 million votes were cast for 7 weeks.



He bested nine other contenders from different countries. Hollywood star Eva Mendes presented the award to him.



The Filipino received $100,000 to continue his work with his group, Dynamic Teen Company, according to CNN. The $100,000 cash prize is on top of the $25,000 he got after his name was included on the top 10 CNN Heroes.



In his acceptance speech delivered before 3,000 people, Peñaflorida encouraged the crowd to unleash the “hero in you.”



"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. "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 also urged them to “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," he added.



During the gala night, 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, according to the Web site. Each of the top 10 Heroes received $25,000.



Read CNN"s full story here



CNN reported that presenters included Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Neil Patrick Harris, Pierce Brosnan, Dwayne Johnson, Mendes, Randy Jackson, Greg Kinnear, George Lopez and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.



Grammy Award-winning artist Carrie Underwood, R&B crooner Maxwell and British pop sensation Leona Lewis performed during the gala event.



The event will be broadcast on Thanksgiving, November 26, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the global networks of CNN.



‘Kariton Klassroom’



Penaflorida first came to the public's consciousness when his group, the Dynamic Teen Company, won the Bayaning Pilipino award for its heroic work in bringing education to poor children in Cavite.



The group later began the “Kariton Klassroom,” which is a mobile classroom that brings around all their teaching materials to the different areas they service.



Since 1997, more than 10,000 volunteers are now helping in educating more than 1,500 kids in depressed areas in Cavite.



Because of this campaign, Peñaflorida was included on CNN’s list of heroes for this year.



'Start within themselves'



Prior to the announcement of winners Saturday night, Peñaflorida was interviewed by ABS-CBN North America News Bureau.



During the interview, he said, if Filipinos wanted to see change, they should start within themselves.



“Kasi hindi naman po magagawa ng isang tao lang ang pagbabagong inaasam natin sa bayan natin. Iyong pagbabago kasi magsisimula iyan sa sarili natin. So kung gusto nating baguhin ang country natin, mag-i-start iyon sa puso natin. And then collectively, iyong pagbabago na iyon ay talagang magiging malaki,” he said.



And now that he is the recipient of the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year award, more poor and uneducated Filipino children will benefit from his award.



"Iyong 90% cash grant mapupunta sa Dynamic Teen Company. Iyong 10% sa church…. Nothing for me,” he said.



He said he was there as a representative of the children and the volunteers he works with.



“Nandito po ako para i-represent ang mga bata, iyong mga dedicated volunteers, iyong mentor ko, iyong selfless and hardworking Filipinos,” said Peñaflorida.



Peñaflorida may be a star to many, but for the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year, the real heroes are the volunteers.







“Personal hero ko is iyong mga dedicated volunteers na kasama ko sa Dynamic Teen Company at sa Club 8586 na walang sawang tumutulong at sumusoporta sa amin. Of course ang Panginoon, ang Diyos, na talagang nagdala sa akin dito at Siyang dahilan bakit ako nandito rin." – With reports from Yong Chavez, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau, and TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News





as of 11/24/2009 5:36 PM

news courtesy of ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

Halloween 2009

My son had a blast during Halloween! They had a party in school on the 29th, where everyone put on their costume and they paraded around the school vicinity and the nearby streets. Unlike last year, i wasn't as prepared for the costume, we almost decided to miss the Halloween hullaballoos but then again, on the last minute, changed our minds and opted to join.
My son's costume wasn't far from what he wore last year, however, we didn't have time to make the casket so he just went as the dead inside the casket.
On the 31st was the real thing. We went trick or treating at the nearby mall (where we go to every year) and joined the parade. We didn't get to win at the supermarket costume contest because this year wasn't as organized as the last. There were too many participants and it was very crowded, that my son wasn't seen by those who chose the participants. It didn't matter that much anyway, we were there to just parade and scare people. And no fail, the same as last year, my son stole the scene for being scary hahaha. People still stopped took a scared look at him and took pictures!
Come Nov. 1, we joined the Nickelodeon Shocktober Halloween show. We didn't get there in time for the costume contest (he would have been chosen again for best costume), but nevertheless, he was still able to join the games on stage and sure enough he won lots of stuff again.
Oh well! I'm sure you are eager to see how he looked like but then I'm having problems posting pictures on my blog. Will try posting next time. Instead, we just posted it in our facebook accounts.

It's been a long time

Sorry, dear friends, if i hadn't been able to update my blog. Been through busy days and i didn't have the time to blog.
Anyways, hope you'll enjoy the next ones.