Photo: Marjorie Villa/FB" width="100%" />
Batangueños are still reeling from the impact of the Taal Volcano’s eruption, with thousands fleeing to evacuation centers over fears for their safety. The situation has most residents doing their best to help each other out, like jeepney driver Roger Villa, who has earned widespread praise for perching himself on his house’s roof on Sunday to hose off passing cars covered by the volcano’s ashfall.
Roger’s helpfulness was made public thanks to his wife, Marjorie Villa, who posted photos of her husband cleaning motorists’ cars in their hometown of Tanauan in Batangas.
“I just want to show off my husband as he cleans passing cars,” Marjorie wrote in a Facebook post that has since gone viral, having been shared almost 36,000 times since it appeared on Sunday, the first day that Taal erupted.
In a Facebook Messenger interview with Coconuts Manila, Marjorie said her husband was washing his own car when he thought of helping out others as well. He knew that it was important to do this because the ashfall on the cars’ windshields limited the drivers’ view of the road.
“He just wanted to help other drivers; he was also cleaning our own car,” Marjorie said in English and Filipino.
Roger’s effort was greatly appreciated by other motorists. “They were happy and honking their horns to show their gratitude,” Marjorie added.
Marjorie admitted that while their family is free from harm, they continue to feel anxious over the safety of other Batangueños.
“We are worried about other people who are much affected by the eruption. I’m nervous because we experience earthquakes from time to time,” she said.
Are you from Batangas? How has been your experience so far? Tell us by leaving a comment below or tweeting to Coconuts Manila.
