Central Pacific Bank yesterday announced it is accepting monetary contributions at its branches statewide for the Philippine disaster relief fund drive being conducted by the Filipino Community Center of Waipahu.

The drive will run through Oct. 24. Checks should be made out to Filipino Community Center with the note "for Philippine flood victims."

Checks can also be sent to the FilCom Center at 94-428 Mokuola St., Suite 302, Waipahu, HI 96797. Contributions are tax deductible.

As part of the fund drive, the FilCom Center will be holding a telethon at its headquarters from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. KNDI-AM radio will broadcast live from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

FilCom president Toy Arre said that as of Wednesday, the center had collected more than $3,500.

Among the organizations helping out FilCom's effort are the Philippine Consulate General, Radio Station KNDI, the Congress of Visayan Organizations, the United Filipino Council of Hawaii, the Oahu Filipino Community Council, the Honolulu Filipino Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Filipino Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Rizal, Hawaiian Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, and Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee of Hawaii.