by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - The island community continues to extend its support for our brothers and sisters in the Philippines. Today, the Guam Regional Medical City together with the Ayuda Foundation announced that $50,000 has been raised to match GRMC's $50,000 pledge for Supertyphoon Yolanda relief efforts.

Ayuda Foundation executive director Carlotta Leon Guerrero says together with the Filipino Community of Guam and the Bank of Guam who contributed to the relief efforts and with GRMC's match, over $100,000 has been raised to fill the containers with medical supplies, equipment and medicine.

She said, "So Medical City put up $50,000 to go toward the purchase of 40-foot containers that will go toward hospitals in the devastated area, so the Ayuda Foundation's strategy is to find a hospital in a devastated area and just pound that hospital as much support as we can."

Meanwhile, Coast360 Federal Credit Union presented Acting Governor Ray Tenorio with a check today for over $9,000 for relief efforts raised by its staff and management.

First Hawaiian Bank has also announced it is donating $100,000 toward the relief efforts. A donation of $50,000 will be made to the American Red Cross and another $50,000 to the Filipino Community Center in Hawaii.

Meanwhile, to assist its personal account customers who are interested in sending support directly to families and friends, the bank will waive wire transfer fees to the Philippines through December 31.