First there was the record-breaking victory of Manny Pacquiao, followed by the international community’s recognition of Efren Penaflorida’s altruism and heroism. Both events were uplifting for the Filipino spirit, for the entire nation – very timely after the devastating and demoralizing effects of the series of typhoons in the past two months.

And I thought that pushcarts are only good for moving junk. Not for Efren Penaflorida, the pushcart teacher who’s one of the finalists in this year’s CNN Heroes. While Pacman, the national prizefighter, prepares for his bid for a world record amid the glitz of the entertainment industry, Efren is quietly pushing his book-laden cart [...]