MANILA, Philippines – It’s the least they could do to help, they said.

As Taal Volcano in Batangas continued to spew ash on Sunday, January 12, couple Roland and Gloria de Vela from Tagaytay City helped motorists remove ashes from their windshields so they could go home safely to their families. 

Gloria de Vela told Rappler that they were clearing their surroundings when they noticed that the windshields of motorists passing by were full of ashes.

“‘Yung mga dumadaang sasakyan napansin namin na punong-puno ng ashes ang windshield nila. So  my husband and I decided na tumulong. Binuhusan namin ng tubig, dahil nga baka ma-aksidente pa sila,” Gloria said. (We noticed that the windshields of vehicles passing by were full of ashes, so my husband and I decided to help.)

Despite the power outage which affected water supply in their area, the couple didn’t think twice in lending a helping hand. “Wala na po kaming tubig dahil reserba lang namin yun sa desk tank. Kapag nawala na po kasi ang kuryente, mawawalan na rin ng tubig. So yung natira namin sa desk tank ang pinangtulong namin,” Gloria said. (We don’t have any water left because that was a reserve from our tank. The power interruption affected the water supply. We used the water from our tank to help them.)

Meanwhile, employees at The Mills Country Club in Canlubang, Laguna, also did the same. 

After Taal Volcano’s phreatic eruption, people at The Mills Country Club in Canlubang, Laguna are helping others clean the mud and ash from their cars so they can safely go home to their families on Sunday, January 12. Photo from @pottypotskiee pic.twitter.com/ot0gQqiLqq

— MovePH (@MovePH) January 12, 2020

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised Alert Level 4 for the Taal Volcano on Sunday evening, January 12, warning that a “hazardous” eruption may occur “within hours to days.” (READ: ‘Hazardous’ Taal Volcano eruption possible ‘within hours to days’). – Rappler.com