Filipinos seek Hawai'i's help
By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Filipino-American community will be called together next week to hear from a Philippine government official about the damage caused by recent typhoons, and how Hawai'i can help.
• A community meeting on ways to help will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Honolulu's Consulate General of the Philippines, 2433 Pali Highway. Information: 595-6316, ext. 223. • Donations (checks payable to the Filipino Community Center) to help storm victims in the Philippines may be sent to: Filipino Community Center Inc., 94-428 Mokuola St., Suite 302, Waipahu, HI 96797. Information: 680-0451.
Avelino Cruz, secretary of defense for the Philippines, will meet with community members at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Consulate General of the Philippines at 2433 Pali Highway.
HOW TO HELP
The fund-raising drive began here in the wake of Typhoon Yoyong, the fourth in a series of storms that has devastated parts of the country, especially the Quezon region.
At week's end, about $9,500 in cash donations had been raised, said state Rep. Felipe "Jun" Abinsay, D-29th (Kalihi, Sand Island), who added that solicitation letters to organizations and corporations are going out.
The Filipino-American community also is organizing a fund-raising rally from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 19, at the Filipino Community Center, 94-428 Mokuola St., Waipahu.
"It will be good for us to come together," said Stephen Callo, an organizer of the relief effort.
Organizers are planning to collect contributions of food, clothing and other supplies. Anyone wishing to offer their facility as a donations drop-off point should contact the consulate or the community center (see box). But the planning committee hasn't secured a way to transport donations to the Philippines.
"That will be challenging," Callo said. "We can collect all kinds of things, but how are we going to transport them there without spending an arm and a leg?"
Abinsay said the state's congressional delegation is looking into ways a military transport plane could be used to fly goods to the needy regions. He left yesterday for the Philippines — a family trip that will afford him the opportunity to visit the devastated areas in Quezon.
In an independent initiative, about 50 U.S. Marines and an unspecified number of CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters from Kane'ohe Bay deployed to Okinawa will be heading to the Philippines to provide humanitarian assistance and airlift support.
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, the "Red Lions," are deployed to Okinawa as part of a regular rotation of Hawai'i Marines to the Japanese island. Several hundred Marines and about a half-dozen helicopters are part of each squadron.
Advertiser writer William Cole contributed to this report. Reach Vicki Viotti at vviotti@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8053.
