Families face anxious wait for news from loved ones

Janice Thompson, 34, of Morley in Leeds, has said she is extremely worried about her 27-year-old brother Filmer Minoza, his wife Reshel, 23, and their children S-Jay, aged three, and five-year-old Frances.

Mr Minoza works away from the Leyte area but travelled there last Thursday – the day before the typhoon struck – because he was getting concerned for his family’s welfare.

Miss Thompson, who works as a community carer in Leeds, said: “We haven’t heard anything from them.

“We are very concerned. We are trying to contact them, but obviously the communications have been cut off.

“Because the roads are not passable, nobody has reached that area yet.”

Fighting back tears, Miss Thompson added: “I’m just hoping everyone is safe.

“It is really devastating. It’s tearing us apart. We can’t do anything because we are outside of the country.”

Rowena Greenwood, 32, of Chapel Allerton in Leeds, still does not know if her grandmother, aunt and cousins are safe.

She said: “I’m really devastated. The affected area is where I come from.

“At the moment we can’t hear anything as the main communication is gone.”

Rowena added: “We cannot explain how worried we are.”

The Filipino Leeds Association (FLA) has organised a fundraising coffee and cake event that will be held next month.

The fundraiser will be on Sunday, December 1, at St Augustine’s RC Church on Harehills Road, Harehills, Leeds.

The association has also launched an appeal to the public for donations of clothes, blankets, toys and tinned food.

Anyone wanting to donate items to the appeal for typhoon victims can drop the goods off at Filfoods Filipino store, which is at 46B Harehills Road, Harehills, LS8 5BP.

The store’s owner, Mr Migano, said: “The support of the Filipino community in Leeds is very good.”