MANILA (Update) -- Filipino Efren Peñaflorida has been awarded the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year at the finale of "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood Saturday night.

Peñaflorida got the top CNN Hero of the Year and a grant of $100,000 for embracing education for himself and other Filipinos as an escape from poverty. He and the other honorees received $25,000 each.

As a child, Efren Peñaflorida picked school over gang life in Cavite City and vowed to create a way for other children to make the same choice.

He created a program that brings books to children in slums and on the streets, and the 10,000 members of his Dynamic Teen Co. have brought reading, writing and hygiene to 1,500 youngsters.

"My message to children of all races, please, embrace learning and love it for it will embrace and love you back and enable you to change your world," said Peñaflorida, now a 21-year-old college graduate.

The 10 finalists were selected from more than 9,000 submissions by a panel that included former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Whoopi Goldberg, and Ted Turner. The winner was chosen online by the public, with nearly 3 million votes cast. (AP/Sunnex)