WHAT IS THE FILCOM CENTER?

• A Hawaii non-profit corporation organized to develop, own and operate the Filipino Community center.
• It seeks to, promote and perpetuate the Filipino culture and customs in Hawaii through the Center's activities and functions.
• Organized in 1992 exclusively for charitable, cultural and educational purposes.
• Incorporated in 1994 under IRS Code 501 (C)(3).
• Supported by individuals, organizations from public and private sectors who are committed to uphold the organization's mission.

WHY A FILCOM CENTER?

• The Filipino Community needs a community center to perpetuate its heritage.
• Communities throughout the State need facilities to deliver youth activities and programs to reduce juvenile crime.
• There is need for places where all children, youth, and their families, both as individuals or in groups, can feel comfortable participating in social and recreational activities.
• Programs will support and strengthen the family in order to prevent child abuse and neglect.
• These facilities will help reduce juvenile arrests, estimated at 3,525 in 1990.
• These facilities will stop the growth of gang membership, estimated at 1,267 youth, active in 117 gangs in 1993 by offering a variety of activities that can serve a focal point for community life.
• The Center can help meet the distinct needs and demands for services of Hawaii's elderly population, which continues to increase.
• Existing recreational/health maintenance programs serve only 4% of our elderly population (128,000 seniors).
• Only 38% of our elders (4,139) have access to 27 nutrition sites on Oahu; services are needed for 6,600 seniors.
• Adult day care center programs and facilities are needed for approximately, 1,150 adults.
• Approximately 2,100 seniors need interpretive services.
• Transportation services are needed for 4,200 elders.
• Filipinos constitute about 15% of Hawaii's population or over 170,000 statewide and 80,000 in Oahu. Hawaii's Filipinos should show a collective will to improve- not only the Filipino community- but also Hawaii's diverse society.

������The FILCOM Center will not just be another big monument like other Filipino structures. Instead, it will be place with a purpose designed to "perpetuate and preserve the Filipino culture for all in Hawaii". Meeting rooms with various ethnic themes will be part of the center.

������To be nestled in a two-acre lot donated by AMFAC of the old Waipahu Sugar Mill, the FILCOM Center, a $13 million worth facility, is envisioned to be a self- sufficient center which will provide programs and services especially for the elders and youths.

�������The idea of building a FILCOM center started way back in February 1969 when the late Soledad A. Alconcel founded the Philipppine Cultural Foundation with its main purpose is to build a Philippine Cultural Center. This idea died when the founder passed away.

�������In 1992, Roland Casamina attended a function in Canada. It was held in the German Community Center. Roland was inspired because a 6,000 German family living in Canada could build such a center. Why not the Filipinos in Hawaii build also their own center?

�������It was then that Engineer Lito Alcantara became President of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce in Hawaii. He then appointed Roland Casamina to head a committee to reactivate the building of a FILCOM Center along with committed Filipino leaders like Jun Abinsay, Mario Ramil, and Stan Suyat, the early stage of FILCOM Center Group was able to successfully revive the FILCOM Center Project.