The Economic Development Agency of the federal Department of Commerce yesterday award a $1.125 million grant for the construction of the Hawai'i Filipino Community Center in Waipahu.

The money will be used to construct and complete the center's loft and second-floor spaces and a portion of the first floor. The grant also will be used to cover equipment costs for a full commercial kitchen and a community technology center.

Called the "FilCom Center," the three-story, 50,000-square-foot center near the Waipahu Sugar Mill smokestack is scheduled for completion in May 2002 and will be the largest Filipino community center outside of the Philippines.

The nonprofit Filipino Community Center Inc. is overseeing construction of the $8.5 million center at Waipahu and Mokuola streets near Hans L'Orange Park. Construction began Dec. 8 after several years of planning and fund-raising.

A $5 million federal loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Program was one of the conditions to secure a construction loan from City Bank.

The center's first floor will be leased to retail businesses, the second floor will have a large assembly area and commercial kitchen, and the third will allow space for other nonprofit companies that provide community services including health, education and employment training.

The Filipino population in Hawai'i is about 170,635, or about 14.1 percent of the state's overall population, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

O-Bon night in Waipahu

Hawai'i's Plantation Village in Waipahu will celebrate O-Bon from 6 to 10 p.m. tomorrow at the cultural center located at 94-695 Waipahu St.

Japanese immigrants brought the celebration of the O-Bon season to the Islands as a Buddhist ritual to honor the spirits of family members who have died — paying special attention to those who passed away within the past year.

Several groups will perform during the event, including Mililani Hongwanji, Young Okinawans, 'Aiea Taiheiji Yagura, Iwakuni Dance Group and the Yamada Dance Group.

The event and parking are free. Food plates will be sold during the celebration.

For more information, call 677-0110.

WINDWARD O'AHU

Surfing course starts Monday

Students can learn the culture and technology of surfing plus get lessons in the water sport from a unique Windward Community College course from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday to June 23.

"Introduction to Surf Science, Culture and Technology" is a one-of-a-kind, noncredit course that takes a scientific approach to understanding the natural phenomena that create and affect waves and surf conditions, said instructor Ian Masterson. The course, in its third year, also will introduce the many facets of the multibillion-dollar surf industry from a business perspective.

The course fee is $145 plus a lab fee of $30, which includes lectures, discussions, two trips to the beach and CPR training.

To register, call 235-7433 or 235-7400.

Project advises on child safety

Parents can learn more about keeping their children safe at a Commitment to Kids project from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at Mike McKenna's Windward Ford, 725 Kailua Road.

The first 100 parents to participate will receive a complimentary identification kit. Each child will be photographed for free, and parents will be given the picture to keep.

Police will also be at the event to fingerprint children at parents' request.

The program is sponsored by Ford.

LEEWARD O'AHU

Beach cleanup seeks helpers

Volunteers are needed for a beach cleanup and marine debris study at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow at Makua Beach.

Nani 'O Wai'anae and Malama Makua are sponsoring the event to clean the area and to catalog the debris found between the high-water mark and the vegetation line as part of a five-year study to determine the sources of litter on the beach. The study is being conducted by the Center for Marine Conservation.

Volunteers will be provided with gloves, bags, tools and water and should wear sturdy shoes and sunscreen and meet on the dirt road fronting the beach. Free T-shirts will be given to participants.