A certain evacuee in an elementary school-turned-evacuation center amused volunteers and his fellow Batangueños with his newly acquired suit that he got from clothing donations.
Romuell Yancha Sabusap turned heads when he showed up in a classy-looking blazer and pretended to be a mayor — or “yorme” as the volunteers and other evacuees amusingly call him — with his attire.
One of the volunteers, Gerald Ite of Gillian’s Diner in Bauan, shared that he and his friends chanced upon Sabusap when they went to Alagao-Malindig Elementary School to deliver donations.
Sabusap caught their attention and Ite asked him if he could take a picture.
“Nakita ko po siya at mga kaibigan niya na naka-formal at semi-formal attire na nakuha nila sa mga relief na damit sa kanila. Yun. Sabi ko picturan ko siya,” Ite said in an online interview with Interaksyon.
Ite captioned the photo with the following:
“Yorme, ayos ba tayo diyan? Pa-good vibes muna tayo. May consent po niya na i-post ito, si Romuell Yancha Sabusap, taga-Lemery galing sa Bauan Cockpit sa Manghinao Uno. Nilipat sila dito sa Alagao-Malindig Elementary School.”
He also thought of recording Sabusap on-the-spot for further good vibes.
“Kunwari interview ko, game na game si ‘Yorme,'” Ite added.
Sabusap pretended to be a politician and shook people’s hands while his fellow evacuees gamely “wiped” and “fanned” his face.
The other video featured Sabusap with his fellow evacuees pretending to be his “bodyguards” with their long-sleeved polos.
“Panayam kay YORME sa Alagao-Malindig Elementary School Evacuation Center with Brgy. Capt. CJ Asilo,” Ite captioned.
Ite hoped that the picture and videos of Sabusap would bring “good vibes” to the current situation of Batangueños affected by the volcano’s heightened unrest.
“Sana makatulong, kahit sa pasaya man lang sa kalungkutang nangyari sa province namin. Lalo na sa mga nasalanta ng Taal Volcano,” he explained.
Evacuees are currently relying on donations and relief goods delivered to them following Sunday’s eruption where residents living within the 14-kilometer radius of the volcano were told to evacuate.
Those included in the mandatory evacuation are the towns of Agoncillo, Alitagtag, Balete, Cuenca, Laurel, Lemery, Malvar, Mataas na Kahoy, San Nicolas, Sta. Teresita, Taal and Talisay and the cities of Lipa and Tanauan.
Other entities accepting donations and relief goods are The Philippine STAR, Philippine Red Cross, DSWD Calabarzon, Don Bosco Makati Pastoral Office, Caritas Manila, PETA Asia and UP Office of the Student Regent, among others.
RELATED: LIST: Where you can donate for Taal Volcano relief efforts
Last Sunday, Taal Volcano erupted and forced residents of nearby communities to evacuate for safety. It is currently on Alert Level 4 status in which a hazardous imminent eruption could occur within hours or days.
Reports note that the fissures previously discovered in Lemery, Agoncillo, Talisay and San Nicolas has “widened by a few centimeters in the past 24 hours” this morning.
Phivolcs said that the volcano could erupt several times over a span of months or years following Sunday’s activity, adding that it is its typical behavior.