‘CNN Heroes’ nominee is Pinoy helping troubled youth (abs-cbnNEWS.com)
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, Penaflorida 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.
Hopeful
Meanwhile, DTC president Eman Bagual is full of hopes. Bagual grew up in a slum area and never thought that his life would finally have a purpose.
“Sabi ko siguro pati ako mayroon akong pagbabago pwedeng gawin. Kaya hinanap ko yung paraan kung paano po ako makakatulong at nakita ko yung paraan na ito sa Dynamic,” Bagual said.
Bagual is happy with the sense of fulfillment he derives from helping other children.
“Kung babalikan ko yung dati kong buhay, malayong gagawin ko ito. Pero ngayon, ang sarap po sa pakiramdan, kung dati isa akong taong pasaway sa lipunan, ngayon isa na po sa taong kahit papano po nakaktulong na ako sa kanila. Kaya yung fulfillment, yung joy pa na meron ako talagang yun po nararamdaman ko ngayon sa pag-tulong sa kanila,” he said.
Bayaning Pilipino
DTC’s good deeds were noticed. In fact, the group won the Gawad Geny Lopez Bayaning Pilipino award in 2007 for its mission of educating children through its mobile classrooms in depressed areas, cemeteries and even in dumpsites in Cavite.
A year and a half later, it’s their founder’s turn to be nominated as the first Filipino to be included in the international search, “CNN Heroes”. According to CNN’s website, CNN Heroes is a search for “people driven to exceptional achievement in service to others.”
Like Charice Pempengco and Arnel Pineda, CNN discovered DTC’s story through YouTube.
Last January, CNN, with award-winning producer Tim Shwartz visited the Philippines to do a feature on DTC and Peñaflorida.
Shwartz reportedly commented, “I knew your story was good. But now, I think it’s great.”
Peñaflorida will be featured on CNN’s Larry King Live Friday at 6 p.m. He was already interviewed by King Thursday morning via satellite with the help of ABS-CBN.
“Di ako makapaniwala na makapasok sa isang award giving-body na nagre-recognize sa mga kagaya ng mga batang nasa likod nito ngayon. Actually, ang mga totoong heroes dito ngayon itong mga teenager na walang kapaguran na tumutulong sa akin. Talagang collective effort ito sa gusto naming mangyari na maraming kaming matulungan,” he said.
According to Peñaflorida, DTC’s work is simple, and this can be done by other youth regardless of their economic background.
Through DTC, Peñaflorida hopes to inspire the youth and other organizations to be heroes by doing something good for the country. TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News
Wilson R. Jacinto said:
Mr. Manotoc,
I’m working for DLSU-Dasmarinas. Our office is interested in inviting Mr. Penaflorida in our Success Stories Series project which features someone like him. Can you help me find his contacts? You may email me through the address above. Thank you.
Arlene said:
Mr. Manotoc,
I heard about the story of Efren Penaflorida. Me and my friends would like to donate some books that we would like to send directly to Efren’s end. May I know what his Philippines’ address? Thank you. You may send it through my email add.
Rolly Militar said:
May I please know where to find the DTC.
We would like to extend help to their ministry.
Thank you and God bless
Rolly Militar
email: rollymilitar@optusnet.com.au
liana chang said:
hi po… i am also a teacher however i am a sped teacher which teaches special children. i am very happy to know that you are with all heart and soul helps children to learn not just academically but also in all aspects of life..you are such a great teacher to look up too,i am looking forward for more of your great works..i hope God will give me the chance to meet your team and experience teaching with your Kariton Klasroom! i voted for you..advance merry christmas…God is good all the time..GODBLESS YOU!
Giovanni said:
Good day! At the outset, i want to congratulate DTC and Efren Penaflorida for bringing honor to our country.
The noble and magnanimous act of your group have embedded a mark of excellence in our history.
I wish your group all the best, and hope that you will continue educating the less fortunate children and guide them in their journey.
I am also contemplating to help implement your project here in Pasig/Cainta. There are lots of less fortunate children here who dropped out from school, and started to mingle and/or join gangs. This is one of the solutions where we can help them avoid joining this group.
Please send me details on how I can start implementing your project in our place. Big thanks.
Cynthia Sy-Mauthe said:
I would like to donate books, toiletries and toys for children as prizes for making an effort to turn their life around. Where can I send my balikbayan box?
Congratulations to your team for winning the CNN Hero of the Year!
Francis Macatulad said:
The Rotary Club of Makati would like to honor Efren for his achievements and invite him as our guest at our weekly meeting. We also want to make a donation of a significant number of books from our Books Across the Seas project. Please let me know how we can contact him and arrange this. Thank you.
Francis Macatulad
Director/Vice President
Rotary Club of Makati
mark leo peralta said:
i want to joined to dtc,but i cant because im here at manila then they’re in cavite
Cecilio N. Pascual Jr. said:
Viva! CNN Hero of the Year! Kuya Efren.sa totoo lang sobrang namangha ako sakanyang Talino,pagmamahal sa Kapwa mamayang lalo na sa kabatatang Pilipino.saludo ako sa iyo Kuya sana bigyan ako ng pagkakataon na makaharap kita.isa rin po akong nagnanais na maging isang guro balang araw.
Nandito po ako sa ngayon sa Kuwait bilang isang OFW na emplayado ng isang restaurant.(Asst.Cook). bagamat kailangan magbanat ng buto at kumita ng kaunting halaga. para panustos sa pangangailangan.ako po ay nagsusumikap na makatapos ng Koleihiyo
at nag-aaral sa pamamagitan ng distance education.
Maliban sa akin paghanga maging ang mga kababayan natin dito saludo ang lahat sa nakamit na KARANGAL mo Kuya.
God bless you.
Cecilio N. Pascual Jr. OFW/Student
Kuwait
Cecilio N. pascual Jr. said:
Congrats sa iyo kuya.
Fleurdelis Guevarra said:
Dear Mr. Manotoc,
We are members of SPEDGE and we are a group of students from Miriam who are taking our Masters Degree in SPED(special Education), we are so inspired with Mr. Florida’s work. We would like to ask help from his group because we are also confronted with the same problems in our own classrooms and the community that we are sponsoring we are currently working with “street kids” from Antipolo, what we do is we visit them every now and give them food and presents, but with Mr. Florida’s work we also thought of giving them free education, free books, clothes and maybe a little hope that they will also be like Mr. Florida’s students who were able to transform themselves and make them believe that “sniffing rugby” is not the only solution to survive in this world. Mr. Manotoc we need help, can we please ask Mr. Florida’s address or maybe a contact number where we can ask for assistance? Thank you very much. God Bless All of Us!
Hannah Marie Calupig said:
Dear Kuya Efren,
CHAMPION KA TALAGA.. ANG GALING GALING MO. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS YOU.
Adrian said:
Congrats Efren and Kuya Bonn. Proud to be Pinoy po.
Marco Nufio said:
Congratulations Efren, you are a great human being. God bless you.
MAYLYN ÅSTROM said:
TO EFREN CONGRATULATIONS. WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO BE OUR SPEAKER IN OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND FUND RAISING PROJECT IN NEGROS. YOU WILL SERVE AS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL THE POOR CHLDREN IN THE WHOLE PROVINCE OF NEGROS. WE NEED YOU EFREN ,TO HELP ENCOURAGE AND INSPIRE THE CHILDREN IN MY PROVINCE. WE ARE ON THE SAME BOAT EFREN. I HAVE MY OWN LITTLE MINISTY TOO SERVING THE THE UNDER PREVILEDGE SCHOOL CHILDREN.
PLEASE EMAIL ME AT, SUMANDAL_ISLAND_BEACHPARK@YAHOO.COM OR MAYLYN_STRM_2005@YAHOO.COM PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF EFREN IS AVAILABLE IN MAY 1. 2010. WE WILL BE HAPPY TO WELCOME HIM IN NEGROS. GOD BLESS
hertch said:
efren keep it up, i just watched ur mmk movie. very inspiring, go on bro, especially sa mga colleagues mo, dynamic team group, very good job,