Peñaflorida back in RP with more pushcart education plans

True to his vow to remain as an ordinary person, CNN Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida returned home from the United States without much fanfare before midnight Wednesday, while the nation’s eyes were riveted on the Maguindanao tragedy. Radio dzBB reported that the 28-year-old Peñaflorida, clad in ordinary polo shirt and jeans, was welcomed by his relatives and supporters from Cavite province at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Peñaflorida assured that he would continue with his mobile education advocacy or the “pushcart classroom for urban poor youth." [See: RP’s Efren Peñaflorida is 2009 CNN Hero of the Year] "Ordinary taong tayo. Hindi po tayo naiiba. Patuloy tayo magtutulak at lalakad sa kalye (I am an ordinary person. I am no different. I will continue plying the streets with my pushcart classroom)," he said in ambush interview. He also said that he would refrain from joining politics.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Peñaflorida won over nine other "CNN heroes," seven of whom are American. He will receive $100,000 from the world renowned cable news network. CNN quoted him as saying, in his acceptance speech at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood: "Serve, serve well, serve others above yourself and be happy to serve. As I always tell 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." Peñaflorida earlier said that should he win, he would pledge the prize money to the children that his group, the Dynamic Teen Company, is helping. – Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV