Efren Peñaflorida, the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year and Universal Robina Corporation (URC) opens the DTC’s newest educational floor, URC Learning Center at the Cavite City.
URC rejoiced with Kariton Revolution kids as in support of Dynamic Teen Company’s (DTC) mission to promote literacy and enrich potentials of future leaders, Universal Robina Corporation (URC) sponsored the construction of a learning center at the second floor of DTC’s Red-buil (red building).
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| Efren Peñaflorida |
Peñaflorida started a "pushcart classroom" in the Philippines to bring education to poor children as an alternative to gang membership. When he has received $100,000 as his prize as he was named 2009 CNN Hero of the Year, he continue his advocacy work and with his friends, they formed the Dynamic Teen Company with an aim of providing youth awareness projects, talent and self-development activities, and community services.
Founders of DTC, Peñaflorida and his classmates and friends find fulfillment as they slowly grow the number of youths being transformed through their programs. Transformed youth, who used to be street kids, drop-outs and out-of-school, even been drug users, petty thieves, scavengers, but youth are now DTC volunteers and have returned to mainstream education.
Universal Robina Corporation (URC) is one of the largest branded consumer food and beverage product companies in the Philippines and committed in making lives a truly helpful and fun experience.
The newly opened URC Learning Center has classrooms fully furnished with chairs, desks, whiteboards, and book shelves for incoming 9th and 10th graders. There is also an office where volunteer educators can prepare their lessons, as well as a laboratory for advance lessons in science.
Adding more fun and creativity to these new learning spaces are walls adorned with murals of the nine participating URC brands: Refresh, C2, and Payless Instant Mami; and Jack ‘n Jill Knots, Chiz Curls, Magic Flakes, Wafrets, Fun Fries and Roller Coaster.
DTC, an organization headed by pushcart educator and CNN Hero Efren Peñaflorida and his mentor Harnin Manalaysay, has managed several academic programs under their umbrella project, Kariton Revolution –a movement URC has been actively supporting since 2011.
“It is an honor to work with Efren Peñaflorida and his team. We admire his passion to spark a positive change in the country. Granting free education to out-of-school youths is a truly admirable endeavor, one that we are quite proud to support,” said URC Executive Vice-President and Managing Director Nilo Mapa, Jr.
The learning facilities in the newly built floor of the activity center are part of URC’s commitment to provide support to DTC and its undertakings.
“We greatly appreciate URC’s support in our endeavors. The new classrooms they built for us will serve as venues for learning and knowledge,” shared Efren Peñaflorida when asked about URC as a partner.
As DTC's mission and vision in educating children, will strive harder to give the underprivileged youth in the Philippines to a better fighting chance at life, to become morally upright, productive and responsible individuals who embrace a spirit of volunteerism,
DTC is to provide them guidance until they progress in their career and be productive contributors of society.
Here are videos showing special presentation of Kariton Revolution kids during the event/opening of URC Learning Center.
The DTC building is located at 188 J. Miranda St., Caridad, Cavite City, Philippines.
Visit Efren Peñaflorida Twitter - @karitonkid and for more information, feel free to inquire at pushcartclasses@gmail.com.
