Countywide : Drive Under Way to Aid Volcano Victims

Two Orange County Filipino-American groups are attempting to collect $12,000 to aid victims of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines.

The Filipino-American Assn. of Orange County and the Orange County chapter of the Federation of Filipino Rosary Groups are seeking help for the thousands of families left homeless when the volcano erupted June 15 and rained tons of ash that flattened buildings.

Ernie Delfin, an organizer of the drive, said donations will be given to the Catholic Diocese of Orange County, which will forward the money to churches in the Philippines.

“Rightly or wrongly, a lot of people do not want to work through the (Philippine) government because that would be much slower and the administrative costs much higher,” he said.

Delfin said that about 30,000 Filipino-Americans live in Orange County, making them the second-largest Asian-American group behind Vietnamese-Americans.

“With 30,000 people, I don’t think it is unrealistic to think that we could raise $30,000,” he said. “That’s only $1 apiece.”

As part of the fund-raising effort, the groups have planned a “bowl-a-thon” for July 21 at the Sequoia Athletic Club in Buena Park. The cost is $18.

The groups also plan to accept donations at a Filipino-American picnic scheduled for noon Saturday at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley.

Donations may be mailed to the Mt. Pinatubo Disaster Fund, 18582 Beach Blvd., Suite 229, Huntington Beach, Calif. 92648.

For further information, call (714) 965-2168.