Let’s talk about heroes today on LiP. I want to discuss heroes in two different senses. I want to talk about recognizing a hero, and I want to talk about every one of us becoming a hero in our own small way. What? You didn’t think you could become a hero? Believe me, you can do it, and I am going to tell you how.
First, let’s recognize somebody who is a hero and has now been acknowledged as a real Filipino hero! I’m talking about Efren Peñaflorida. You remember Efren, don’t you? Efren is a Filipino that I wrote about last month. I told you about how Efren has started a “pushcart school” in Metro Manila. He has a pushcart that he pushes around to places where there are less fortunate people who need help. A lot of the kids in those areas are dropouts from school. Some are just small children who have already given up on getting an education because they don’t have enough money to stay in school. Many of these families need these children to actually work to help make enough money for the family to eat.
I am so happy right now, because it was just announced that Efren Peñaflorida has been named as CNN’s Hero of the Year for 2009! Efren will receive a prize of $100,000, which he plans to use to expand his network of pushcart schools and to educate more poor Filipinos. One of Efren’s goals is to keep these kids from becoming gang members by offering them a free education. Can you imagine how many people that prize of $100,000 will keep on the right side of the law? How many kids will go on to do great things in their lives because of the efforts that Efren has put forward to help them? What great news. And, it’s thanks to you LiP readers, among others, who went to CNN’s website and voted for Efren! Thank you all very, very much!
It’s time for the 2009 LiP Christmas Drive
OK, guys, in light of our talk about Heroes, I am going to give an early kick-off to our LiP Christmas Drive this year. So, if you are asking how you can become a hero, I believe that I can help you on that, just keep reading!
As regular readers will know, every year LiP readers have been donating funds, and Feyma and I have used the money to assist poor people in having a Christmas meal, and a little celebration for the Christmas holiday. The people who receive this are people who would have no means of celebrating Christmas without the generosity that you provide.
This will be the third year that I have asked for LiP readers to pitch in and help provide this assistance. Feyma and I have been doing this with our own funds for about 7 years now, but with lots of LiP readers pitching in we can do so much more to help! Last year, LiP readers contributed just a few dollars shy of $2,000 to this cause. To read up about the Christmas Giveaway of 2008, click here.
Hey, I know that the world economy is in the dumpster this year. Things are not the same as they were a year ago. Some of you guys reading this are not doing well. My businesses have been severely hurt by the economic crisis. That is why I wanted to start the drive a little early this year. I hope that even though we might be doing a little worse than last year, we can all see and feel how much better we are doing than the people that we can assist here in the Philippines.
My goal this year, as in the past, is to put together packages of food and supplies that will feed a Filipino family for “Noche Buena,” the Christmas feast that Filipinos celebrate at Midnight on New Years Eve. I hope that this year we can exceed the amount that we gave as a group last year, will you help me achieve that goal? With your generous donation, we can feed at least several hundred families. As I said, I have been doing this, along with my family, for 7 years now, as I recall. I will tell you, the reward I get from helping these people is a gift to myself every year. It is such a warm feeling to know that you have helped a few less fortunate people to have at least one day with a nice meal, and some Christmas spirit. The feeling that I get is priceless, and I want you to experience that as well.
If you are willing to donate to this cause, I would ask you to use the “Donate” button on the left side of this paragraph. When you click on that button, you will go to Paypal, and you can choose how much money you can donate to this cause. By the way, if you don’t use Paypal for some reason and want to use another method to get the donation to me, I would be happy to work with you any way I can, just contact me and let me know. Last year, we got donations from LiP readers from $5 all the way up to $500 from a single individual. Now, I am not asking you to donate $500, but if that is in your heart, I sure won’t turn it down! But, even if you can only spare $5, that would feed several people with a nice Christmas dinner! And, I appreciate every amount given, no amount is too small.
Now, let me just say, for those who have doubts, 100% of the funds that you donate will go toward feeding these people for Christmas. No funds are kept for “Administration” or anything like that. This is just a small thing that Feyma and I enjoy doing, and we are certainly not looking to make any money from this, only to help people. We hope that you also are willing to help a few people this Christmas.
I will also be placing a Donate button over on the sidebar of this site for those who want to donate later, as Christmas gets nearer. I might even hit you up a few more times before Christmas gets here, I hope you won’t mind.
Won’t you help me bring some smiles to a few Filipino kids this Christmas? And a full belly too, for at least one night of the year? If you can help me, I assure you of my sincere appreciation of your efforts.
I’d also like to once again offer my sincere congratulations to Efren Peñaflorida for being the winner of this year’s CNN Heroes Award!
Thanks to you Bob. Some heroes need a "sidekick" or a "buddy" or whatever you call it, in order to best do their job. In Efren's case, I guess he has a lot of them and one of them, for me, is you Bob. I don't know by how much, but, I am sure that you helped Efren win. How? Well, in my case, I really would have not known about Efren's being nominated to the CNN Heroes if I did not read your article about him. So, I also forwarded your article to friends and I know that there were many of us who did that too. So, Congrats to Efren and thanks and congrats to you too and congratulations to the many out of school children out there who will benefit from Efren's movement!!!
Hi Bob,
Congratulations indeed to Effren!!
Bringing a nicer “Noche Buena” to some who deserve it is certainly a great cause, and I will be contributing this year without a doubt. Last year I remember you spoke of how your family has evolved Christmas into a kind of amalgamation of an American and a Filipino Christmas, and this is something we will be trying to do in our Family this year too. I used to find it strange how Filipino's appear to celebrate Christmas Eve more than Christmas day itself, but I have come to appreciate the differences now, and we want to try to embrace the best of both worlds; the whole point of a cross cultural relationship surely.
Well, it's early I know, but Season's Greetings to all LIP staff and readers alike.
Hi, Bob- I think this article should appear in your SunStar column for next Friday.
Hi Lito – Well, thank you very much for your super kind words. I hope I could live up to your assessment of me! Absolutely, Congrats to Efren. All of the contestants in the Hero of the year were deserving, but I was very happy to see Efren get the top spot!
Hi Jim – Last year was our first year to try to meld the two culture's holiday celebration into our own celebration, and I thought it was a success. We will be doing it again this year too, possibly even taking it a step further. Season's Greetings to you also, Jim!
Hi Bob – In their own way, those who read about Efren Penaflorida here and went onto the CNN website and voted for him are heros, too. They didn't have to do what they did, but they did it anyway – not for recognition but for fulfillment. Helping the CNN Hero of the Year receive the $100,000 associated with the title (plus the $25,000 for being a top-ten finalist) with their vote is the moral equivalent of "chipping in a fiver" to the pot.
btw, purchases for Noche Buena up here have been ongoing since the typhoons left us. Plenty of relatives and neighbors will help celebrate this year (heck, everyone's related to each other in this barangay so I'm a little redundant). Prices are holding pretty well, so it appears we'll have quite a few "full tummies" on Christmas Day.
Absolutely, Paul, I am very happy that a lot of LiP readers went and voted for Efren in the Heroes contest! Also, readers of my SunStar column, because I promoted him on that too. Filipinos have always been good at voting in these kind of internet contests. I remember when the Miss Universe pageant used to have a "Miss Photogenic" internet vote and the Philippines won every year. I am not sure, maybe they still have that contest, I don't really follow that kind of thing, but I know the Filipinos always support fellow Filipinos in such contests!
Good luck on your family Noche Buena next month!
You can count me in again this year on the " Minda-Claus " donation drive Bob. I think it is very significant that you have stressed that 100% of all donations are going toward making this special effort of you, your family, and LIP participants something that less fortunate others, especialy younger children, may remember for a lifetime !
Although some may speculate the existance of Santa Claus, one thing is certain, there really is a " Minda Claus " with a worldwide network of helpers.
Those hats as shown in the pics of last year really added seasonal color and spirit when distributing the gifts.
Bob – Thank you very much for your support! I already got your donation, and I appreciate it very much. I’ve been impressed the number of donations that are rolling in this early! There certainly will be a Minda Claus this year, no doubt about it. Thanks to all those who support the cause (or should I say “Claus”)? 😉
Bob
Its just a little but if everyone helped a little it will the less fortunate ALOT.
Hi Neal – I got your donation. Don’t worry, any amount is so helpful, and I appreciate it so very much.
Hi Bob,
Count me in. Am sending it in the next few days but not in your
home address. There’s another #4 down the street where you live and
am afraid it will be misdelivered. I will e-mail you and give you
the tracking number and probably the next day you will received it
by going to the company office.
I won’t be be able to join you this coming x’mas drive but I am
sure I will see it here after posting it. Bye and regards.
Robert
Hi Robert – I was looking at photos from last year, and thinking back on that day. It was a good and bad day! Remember the flat tire? Ha ha… do you still have contact with those guys from the vulcanizing shop? 😀
Thanks for your help on this, Robert. I hope we can see you sometime soon! All the best to Susie too!
Hi Bob,
Yes its Big Congrats to Efren,and well deserved.
I will be supporting your “Minda Claus” appeal again.
regards Chas.
Hi chasdv – Thank you, you’re indeed a good man, chas!
Kamusta ka Bob,
I had read about Efren a while ago…I think even on Facebook, sounds like a great choice was made, and the money will go to a worth while cause for sure.
I clicked your “donor” button, wish I was there to help you all pass it out..and see all those smiles.
Salamat kaayo,
Danny 🙂
Hi Danny – Thanks for your contribution, it is greatly appreciated!
Hi, Bob- I will send you the Western Union MTCN by private mail way before the Noche Buena. I supposed you go with the name Robert, instead of Bob, in you ID card, am I right?
Hi John – I don’t have that much time to go to Western Union. Is it possible to send it to Feyma’s name instead? It would be much appreciated. Send to: Maria Pima B. Martin, and then just forward me the MTCN. We’ll take care of it from there! Thank you very much for helping out!
I haven’t contacted them yet Bob. I still have the copies of pictures
I printed for them. It sounds that you are going to the same place for the Christmas drive, are you? If so then maybe you can deliver the pictures at the vulcanizing shop. By the way I will contact you in the next few minute about the funds I promise. See you there.
Hi Robert – We haven’t really planned yet where we will go this year, but perhaps up in that same area. Or, maybe we’ll choose a different area this year, not certain. We are already making plans to improve the give-aways this year, though! You are certainly welcome to join us any year that you are here, Robert! I’ll be looking forward to it! And, thank you for sending your contribution!
Hi Bob,
It’s on its way. It’s not much but I hope it will bring some smiles on their faces this coming holidays even if it’s just for a day.
Got it, Jun! Thank you very, very much for your contribution. You can bet that it will bring plenty of smiles!
Excellent news here, Bob. I do recall when you mentioned Efren in the past and made it easy to vote for his project in the heroes competition.
I am delighted to see that he won, even if he had been working in another country. Too often these sorts of thing wind up being about some movie star of extremely rich entrepreneur, etc., who donates bucket loads of money and gets mentioned in all manner of media as a result. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to the Hill Gates of the world for being generous with their fortunes, but sometime I don’t feel they really define ‘hero’ to me.
Likewise, the current person that leaps to everyone’s mind when you say “Philippine hero” would be our friend Manny Paguiao, the “Pacman”. Let me be the first to say I like and respect Manny (some of his personal relationship habits could stand a bit of work, but then who among us is qualified to cast the first stone? Not I), and he is without a doubt the best boxer in the world today, and well on his way to going into the history books as one of the best of all times.
I am by no means trying to denigrate Manny … but ‘hero”? Again I don’t know if my definition matches. He is a man of incredible talent and incredible dedication to his work … but he’s a skilled (highly skilled) craftsman plying his trade, for big money (even if he were to lose he’d still get paid millions.
Manny is worthy of great respect, but let me tell you why I don’t necessarily consider him a hero.
A hero is a person who sees a need and can see no way to overcome the need, but goes after it anyway. The problem of uneducated children, gangs, children addicted to drugs and the kind of abject hopelessness that perpetuates those problems is of staggering proportions in the Philippines.
In general (my personal opinion), the government ignores it. The Department of Education, for example, denies education to children who can’t produce a P600 birth certificate. They can buy a bottle of rim got P85, but they can’t enter public (taxpayer-supported) school without coughing up nearly 10 times as much). No one, including those who get paid to care seems to want those street children anywhere near them.
But Efren saw the problem, and I am sure he knew, intellectually, he could never ‘fix’ the problem overall, even in his wildest dreams. But instead of shaking his head and mirroring the hateful phrase “If only” (the standard government response to issues like this), he got in gear and started doing what he could.
He didn’t wait for someone to tell him he could, he didn’t make a plan and then submit it to the World Bank to see if any money trickled down, he said to himself, “Hey, I can reach those kids, and no matter what degrees I hold, I can make a difference.”
He made a difference, against odds ridiculously high (and at significant risk to personal safety I might add), and he continues to work to make a difference, even though he is fight for what “everyone knows” is a “lost cause”.
That’s a hero, in my book anyway.
Hi Dave – Thanks for stopping by and commenting on Efren and his award! Yes, I do feel he is a hero. I think Manny is too, but in a much different way. It’s OK, we can differ in opinion. BTW, I don’t think Manny is a hero because he is a good boxer. I think he is a hero because his talents have lifted the spirits of the Filipino people and given them something to be proud of. For many, they feel that there is not much to be proud of here (I disagree with that), and Manny has given them something to solve that problem.
We differ in opinion less than you might think, Bob. I fully agree with what you say about how Manny lifts spirits. That, for me, has been the hardest thing to try and reconcile, living here .. the propensity for Filipinos, from very poor to even those in powerful places, to think poorly of themselves. I think we can both heartily agree that the Philippines needs more like Manny, because, the number one problem that holds the Philippines back is the way so many Filipinos hold themselves back. Sigaw Pinoy!
Hi Dave – Yep! I actually always thought we kind of agreed on this, but just explained our feelings about the whole “hero” thing in different ways.
Bob: Sent a bit…Hope it helps. Let me know if there are PayPal problems. Have fun with the kids this year! Looked like lots of fun last year.
John – Thank you for your generous contribution! One of these days when you have some time, I’d love for you to join us on the giveaway! I am quite sure you will enjoy it!
You’ve got a big heart, my friend. I hope you’ll make many families happy again this year.
Hi Randy – Doing the Christmas giveaway is, in all honesty, one of the highlights of my year. I look forward to it every year. But, as I have said in the past, I am somewhat greedy, because seeing those smiles from the kids and old folks makes me feel very good. I do it more for the feeling that it gives me then anything else.
Not only will I be able to make some families happy… all of those on LiP who pitch in will have a part in it! Including you, Randy! Thanks for your support!
“The hero in you is waiting to be unleashed…” – Efren Penaflorida
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/11/16/cnnheroes.tribute.show/index.html