FAR Eastern University volleyball player and Tacloban City native Marie Toni Basas is one of hundred Filipinos still in search of their missing families and relatives in the wake of the massive destruction brought about by super typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas region last week.
Coach Shaq Delos Santos said Basas went home early Monday morning to go home to her province in the hope of getting news about the whereabouts of her parents with whom she has lost contact since disaster struck Tacloban and neighboring provinces on Friday.
Tacloban City is one of the hardest-hit areas by one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded in history, with thousands feared dead due to storm surges.
Looting has also reportedly been rampant in the ravaged provinces owing to scarcity of food and supplies.
News on the tragedy that befell Tacloban prompted Basas to go home.
“Kahapon pa niya gustong umuwi ng Tacloban kasama ‘yung mga kapatid niya kasi wala siyang balita sa mga magulang niya,” said Delos Santos in an interview with Spin.ph.
Delos Santos said teammates also pitched in by donating food and clothing which Basas brought with her to Tacloban.
“Nagdala siya ng damit at pagkain galing sa mga teammates niya. Umalis siya ng 7 a.m. kanina,” said Delos Santos.
The FEU mentor and the rest of the team are only hoping that Basas’ parents are okay.
“Sa ngayon, wala pa kaming balita kasi nasa biyahe pa siya. Sabi ko sa kanya, mag-text siya agad pagdating niya doon,” said Delos Santos of Basas, ‘Maimai’ to her teammates.
FEU athletic director Mark Molina said the school also has other athletes not just in Leyte but also from Bohol, Leyte, and Cebu, who are also in the same boat.
“Some of them haven’t heard from their families,” said Molina.
UAAP secretary treasurer Malou Isip of host Adamson said the school’s track and field athlete, Raymart Pacheco, is also concerned about his parents since they live in Palo, Leyte, one of the towns hit hard by the super typhoon.
Isip said Pacheco is keeping his fingers crossed everything is okay as communications in Leyte have yet to be fully restored.
“Hindi pa rin ma-contact ‘yung mga parents. We are still hoping for the best,” said Isip.
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