Hawaii rallies to aid disaster victims in Samoa, Philippines
By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Contributions continue to flow steadily from Hawai'i into relief efforts for two separate Asian and Pacific disaster areas as government agencies and nonprofit groups yesterday repeated their calls for more help.
Tropical Storm Ketsana slammed into the Philippines on Saturday, causing massive flooding and killing hundreds. Early Tuesday, an 8.0 earthquake and tsunami shook the Samoa Islands, killing at least 120 and leaving thousands homeless.
The Filipino Community Center in Waipahu began collecting donations on Monday, and the fund was up to $1,200 on Tuesday with "a lot of envelopes" streaming into the office yesterday, said Toy Arre, FilCom Center president.
An all-day telethon is being held at the FilCom Center on Sunday, coinciding with similar efforts on the Neighbor Islands, Arre said. The O'ahu event will be simulcast on KNDI-AM radio from 1 to 3 p.m.
At the O'ahu office of American Samoa's governor, staff collected a smattering of goods and monetary donations. "We have water and canned food, and rice," said office staffer Molesi Sagatolu, and they are trying to secure a flight to ship items to Pago Pago.
Coralie Matayoshi, chief executive for the American Red Cross, Hawai'i chapter, said it's hard to determine how much money is coming from Hawai'i into the two relief efforts. Some Hawai'i residents are donating online while others have been calling an 800 number.
Matayoshi said there are a significant number of people of Filipino and Samoan ethnicities who will make contributions to relief efforts in both disaster areas.
"They might be tapping a little bit different constituencies," Matayoshi said.
On top of that, she said, "the people of Hawai'i are really generous."
Other organizations also announced plans to help with the relief efforts:
• The Cathedral of St. Andrew is taking up special collections at upcoming services for victims in the Philippines and the Samoas, as well as for yesterday's earthquake in Indonesia.
• Nationally, the Catholic Medical Mission Board is also gathering and sending medical supplies to the three disaster areas. The organization is accepting donated antibiotics, cough and cold medicines, as well as other medicines and medical supplies. Cash gifts will be used to defray shipping costs. Call 800-678-5659 or 212-242-7757. E-mail inquiries to bwright@cmmb.org.