Filipino organizations in Hawai'i are mounting fundraising drives to help the hundreds of thousands of people suffering from the disastrous effects of Tropical Storm Ketsana, which swept through Manila last weekend and displaced nearly 380,000 people.

The Philippine Consulate General Honolulu, the United Filipino Council of Hawaii, the Filipino Community Center and others have initiated fund drives to raise money to send to agencies that provide aid.

Philippine Consul Paul Cortes said several Filipino organizations are responding to the disaster, but that he hopes to build a "concerted effort" involving all the groups.

"We are hoping and we are trying to find a way to have one big bang," Cortes said, adding that he has posted names and account numbers of government organizations to which to send money on the Philippine Consulate General Web site (www.philippineconsulatehonolulu.com).

The Filipino Community Center in Waipahu announced early yesterday morning on KNDI radio that it would accept donations, said Geminiano "Toy" Arre Jr., president of the center. The fundraiser will last until Oct. 24, and the station hopes to broadcast live from the center later this week, Arre said.

Hawai'i residents responded within minutes of the announcement because people are concerned about relatives in the metro Manila area that was the worst hit by flooding, he said.

"The metro Manila area has 12 million people that have never been flooded before, and that's the problem," said Arre, adding that his in-laws reported water up to their necks and losing everything they weren't able to carry to the second floor of their home.

For now, the organization is collecting only money, although people want to donate food, water, blankets and other household goods, he said.

"It's always been a problem trying to ship it there very rapidly," Arre said. "There's always expense associated with shipment, and sometimes nobody is willing to take the responsibility of accepting it at the other end. So we're accepting only cash (or other monetary) donations and we're going to work with a nongovernment, nonprofit agency for the final distribution of the proceeds."

He said he hopes that the community will respond, because in the past the center has collected $80,000 for Leyte landslide victims and $20,000 for the Kunia Road crash that killed four people in 2006, he said.

The United Filipino Council of Hawaii, an umbrella organization for six Neighbor Island councils, with about 400 members, is also involved with the fundraising, said Eddie Agas, council president.

With preparations just getting under way yesterday, Agas said, he's not sure about how people will respond, especially in light of the economic troubles suffered by so many Island families. But he said he was optimistic.

"We should have a positive outcome because the Filipino way is they always want to help," Agas said. "Even myself, we've had hard times, too, but as a family, we'll share something."

According to the Associated Press, the death toll from the massive flooding in the Philippine capital and surrounding area climbed to 240 by yesterday afternoon, and 37 others were missing, with the homes of nearly 1.9 million people inundated.

Overwhelmed officials called for international help, warning they may not have enough resources to withstand another storm that is brewing east of the country, the AP said.

Tropical Storm Ketsana, known as Typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines, dumped a month's worth of rain in just 12 hours, fueling the worst flooding to hit the country in more than 40 years, the AP said.

U.S Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i, urged people to help.

"By now, most of us have seen the images of destruction and human suffering caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana in the Philippines," Akaka said in an e-mail statement. "Survivors are now struggling to find clean drinking water, food, medicine and shelters. In Hawai'i, we know all too well the damage tropical cyclones can cause. As we have in the past, we stand ready to help our friends in the Philippines. I encourage everyone in our community to do what they can to help those suffering from this terrible disaster."