Efren Penaflorida. Photo courtesy of Asian Journal.

Cheers to the Asian Journal for its article on Filipino social worker Efren Penaflorida. CNN 360 host Anderson Cooper awarded Penaflorida CNN’s 2009 Hero of the Year award for his work helping youth in the Philippines stay clear of gangs. Penaflorida, 28, is founder of Dynamic Teen Company, which uses education as an anti-gang tool. About 130,000 youth in the Philippines are in gangs.