E takeextra December 2009 filipino globe 19
In a year that begged for
heroism, Efren Penaflorida and
Muelmar Magallanes shone
through.
Penaflorida brought his
message of hope for street
children everywhere he wheeled
his mobile classroom, and did
the country proud by being
named CNN Hero of the Year.
And in the highest act of
self-sacrifice, Magallanes gave
up his life to save others at
the height of typhoon Ondoy Dramatic images capture the best and the worst of 2009.
for which he was honored by
Clockwise from top left: A mourner watches the funeral
procession for Cory Aquino, young refugees wait in line
a grateful nation and by Time
at a relief center, a protester in Hong Kong joins a rally
Magazine, which made him one against racial discrimination, Efren Penaflorida checks on
of its top 10 heroes this year.
his mobile class and massacre victims left on a road side.
Mixed fortunes for Filipinos elsewhere around the world
When Filipina accountant Elizabeth Veterans Bill. A group of nurses in New York called bridge people in Saudi Arabia began typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. They raised
Tagle sued her US employer for wrongful lost an anti-discrimination lawsuit against returning home, Filipino nurses were given nearly $800,000 in emergency funds and
dismissal, she took on a giant in the fashion their employer, while stranded teachers a chance to pass the Philippine board exam sent back hundreds of boxes in relief goods.
retail industry – and won. in Louisiana pressed their fight against a and a group of Filipinos faced flogging for They stood in righteous indignation to
Her reward was US$74 million in recruiter who promised them non-existent dressing as women. denounce columnist Chip Tsao over a racial
damages but more importantly, she walked jobs. Off the horn of Africa, Somali pirates slur and vowed to fight on even as they
away with an enormous boost to her dignity In Canada, Mabel Elmore blazed a trail continued to menace commercial shipping, lost another round in their battle for more
and pride. Tagle’s story stood out in a year for Filipinos when she was elected to the taking Filipino hostages in the process. More equitable wages.
that brought mixed fortunes for OFWs legislature in British Columbia. than 100 were held captive at one time but A dead infant found in a dumspter,
around the world. And in the Middle East, home to the the number has since fallen to about 30. apparently left there to die by its mother,
Thousands of Filipino veterans and their largest Filipino expatriate population, In an unprecedented show of force, shocked the community as did the story of a
families would start to receive benefits from death-row inmate May Vecina won a pardon Filipinos in Hong Kong mobilized into an troubled woman who was charged with killing
Washington with the approval of the US from the Kuwaiti ruler, hundreds of so- army of volunteers to help the victims of her own baby moments after giving birth.
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