More than a thousand Filipinos gathered at St Vincent de Paul church this afternoon for a special mass organised by parish priest Father Michael Sitaram.

They lit candles in solidarity and observed a moment of silence. They also held hands and lifted their voices as they sang and prayed for the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan. The message covered themes such as restoration and healing.

"Coming together to pray is important because prayer is a powerful tool," said Ms Marby Salgado, 29, a customer service officer, who experienced the typhoon while she returned to her hometown in Roxas, Capiz for a holiday last week.

Her friend Ms Jaren Loyola, 33, whose two-storey family home in Eastern Samar, was also destroyed, said their hearts go out to all the victims. "We will continue to pray for the Philippines," she said, encouraging survivors to hang on as help is on the way.