“Not on my priority list.”

This is how 2009 CNN Hero of the Year Efren Penaflorida reacted to reports that actress Angel Locsin is back in the arms of actor Luis Manzano.

Penaflorida’s lukewarm retort is a far cry from his assertions a few months ago when he declared undying love for Angel whom he called the “girl of his dreams.” He even asked permission from her father before courting her. Efren would later tell Boy Abunda on “The Bottomline” that he had waited five years for his chance to woo her.

But although he was able to go as far as to invite the actress on several dates, Angel doused Penaflorida’s show of passion by saying all she could offer the “pushcart educator” is friendship.

“Ayoko naman magpaasa ng tao,” said she in interviews.

Without Angel in the picture, the 29-year old is back to doing what he does best—nurturing the Dynamic Teen Company (DTC), which he founded years ago and one that eventually made him a “hero.”

DTC started as a friendship club of around 20 members, with an aim of providing youth awareness projects, talent and self-development activities, and community services. They eventually pioneered the idea of the "pushcart classroom," wherein pushcarts were stocked with school materials such as books, pens, tables, and chairs. The group would then travel about, usually Saturdays, to recreate school settings in varying locations including many impoverished areas. Today, DTC's "pushcart classroom" also teaches basic reading and writing to street children.

“Ang perspective ko bilang isang guro, mas fulfilling kapag nakikita ko yung mga bata na natututo magsulat at magbasa, especially kung nae-engganyo silang mag-aral. Kahit isang bata lang yung matulungan namin, that’s already a big achievement for me,” said he in an interview with ABS-CBN.

Penaflorida says he has more volunteers nowadays.

“If you want change to happen, the concept of bayanihan is important. Kasi when you push a cart alone, it’s very hard. So ‘pag mas madami kang kasama, mas napapadali yung work. Siyempre hindi naman kaya ng isang tao lang yung pagbabago,” he said.