A Silent Hero

While everyone is going crazy of boxing champ Manny Pacquiao for his conquests on and off the ring; I would like to commend Filipino Teacher Efren Peñaflorida for winning this years' CNN 2009 Hero Of The Year. He is what is called a "kariton educator".

What he does is he brings education to the deprived street children armed with his Kariton Klasrum. He is truly an educator who reaches out to the many Filipino children who has no means to go to school. He goes beyond his call of duty to educate and encourage the kids to love learning. He goes on to say when giving his thank you speech, addressing the young,"My message to children of all races, please, to embrace learning and love it for it will embrace and love you back and enable you to change your world." Such a simple man with a big heart. I hope the youth are inspired by him and his simple story and strive to finish schooling instead of playing with useless computer games or drugs all day. The way I see it, poverty is not a hindrance to learning, one can always try for student loans or for scholarships.

Peñaflorida was granted US$100,000 and 90 percent of the cash will be used to aid the DTC's projects and the remaining 10 percent will go to the A Blessed Church in Cavite City. It's news like this that makes me smile and inspires all to be hero's in our own little ways. It's news like this that I enjoy reading about, a welcome change from all the news on killings, corruption and adultery. Way to go kababayan!