INQUIRER Global Nation

SAN FRANCISCO, California, United States?Filipino Americans across the US are showing their solidarity with typhoon victims in their motherland.

Non-profits, business organizations, civic, government, and church groups, political parties, and media came together, discarded their biases, and helped organize and identify collection drop sites, provide information on how to send cash donations to reputable agencies, announce fee-free remittances, corporate matching donations and planned for future activities.

Here?s how to send donations:

1. Philippine Consulate General, San Francisco, California
Address: 447 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
Office hours: Consulate doors open 24/7
Items accepted: Non-perishable food, medicines (not expiring yet), blankets only (no clothings), cash or checks payable to San Francisco Philippine consulate
Contact Person: Lyn of SFO PhilConsulate (415) 433-6666

2. National Disaster Coordinating Council
NDCC Donated Funds
Current account number (Philippine peso): 0-00149-435-3
Swift Code: DBPHPHMM Account 36002016
Bank: Development Bank of the Philippines
Bank address: Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo Branch
Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Philippines
Website: www.ndcc.gov.ph

3. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Contact Persons: Imee Rose Castillo/ Rey Martija
Telephone: (632) 931-8101 local 506-507/ 951-7119

DSWD Foreign Donations

(US dollars) account number: 3124-0055-81
Zip Address: TLBPPHMMXXX
(Philippine peso) account number: 3122-1-11-84
Bank: LBP
Bank address: Batasan Branch, Constitution Hills, Quezon City

4. Philippine National Red Cross
The Philippine National Red Cross
(US dollar) account number: 151-2-151-00218-2
Swift code: MBTC PH MM
(Philippine peso) account number: 151-3-041-63122-8-MBTC
Bank: Metrobank
Bank address: Port Area Branch, Anda Circle, Port Area, Manila

(For donations to be acknowledged, please fax bank transactions slips to (632) 525-5654 or 404 0979 with donor?s name, address, and contact numbers. Guidelines for online donations may be accessed via www.redcross.org.ph.)

5. West Bay Filipino Multicultural Center
Address: 175 7th Street San Francisco, California
Telephone: 415 431 6266

(West Bay children and their families to keep center open till 10 p.m. every day to collect donations. Volunteers welcome. Donors may deduct contributions exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) 3.)

6. Ayala Foundation USA

To make online donations, click on http://www.af-usa.org/donate_now_form.asp
And select "AF-USA Typhoon Relief Fund" from the drop down menu marked "Donations For".

You may also send your check to Ayala Foundation USA. Please put ?flood victims? on the memo portion of your check. Send to: Ayala Foundation USA, 255 Shoreline Drive, Suite 428, Redwood City, CA 94065

Ayala Foundation USA is coordinating with Ayala Foundation Inc. and other groups conducting major relief efforts. The donations you send will be brought to areas where the need is greatest and areas that have not yet been reached by groups doing disaster relief mobilization. Highest level of transparency and accountability in all transactions assured.

7. LBC Hari ng Padala Foundation and ABS-CBN Foundation?s Sagip Kapamilya project tie-up

LBC offers free padala services for in-kind and cash donations to Ondoy victims. All boxes will be sent for free in the name of LBC Foundation and this will be delivered directly to ABS-CBN.

?As of October 1, all LBC branches in the U.S. are now drop-off points for in-kind donations to the victims of Typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines,? said Hugo Bonilla, LBC president and CEO.

LBC also offer its sea cargo services for free after LHPF committed to sorting and distributing the donated items coming from donors in the US.

Rules on box sizes: All donated items must be boxed and sealed in standard-sized balikbayan boxes. LBC will not accept open boxes or unpacked items.

Donors in California, Oregon, Washington State, Nevada, and Hawaii can only use the 24x18x18 box size while donors in New Jersey, New York, Illinois, and Virginia can only use the 28x18x17 box size.

In Saipan, only box size 18x20x22 is accepted while LBC in Canada?s British Columbia will only accept the 18x18x30 box size.

Preferred items: Canned goods, rice, clothing, footwear, towels, blankets, cookware, utensils, and other daily consumables.

All boxes must state the shipper?s name and address. Consignee information is as follows: LBC HARI NG PADALA FOUNDATION, c/o Jose Garcia with address LBC HANGAR, General Aviation Center, Domestic Airport Compound, Pasay City.

For a list of the LBC branch nearest you, please visit www.lbcexpress.com or call 1-800-338-5424.

8. Xoom.com is offering fee-free remittance to Manila until October 9.

9. Asian Arts Museum, San Francisco
Date: 4 October 2009, Sunday
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (free entrance)

In conjunction with the Filipino American History Month Celebration, the museum will set up donation boxes inside its premises.

10. New York
From ?ilovepiNoY? (www.ilovepinoynyc.com), a Samantha Lopez Production, in cooperation with some Filipino friends and colleagues, a big event is being organized on 26 October 2009, Monday @ Felix ( www.felixnyc.com ) to raise funds for Ondoy victims. All proceeds will go directly to Philippine National Red Cross and Ayala Foundation.

11. The Thomson Reuters Foundation

Of the Reuters group, foundation is matching dollar for dollar donations for the relief area of your choice until October 16.

Please forward to anyone who want to contribute monetary donations. Here is the link: http://www.trust.org/trust.org/page/files/philippinestyphoon2009.html