Evacuees Find Humour Amid Taal Volcano Eruption Thanks to Unusual Clothing Donations

At first look, viral photos from the Philippine province of Batangas that were trending last week sure seem like snapshots from a costume party. Netizens shared pictures of a grown man dressed in a schoolgirl uniform, teenage boys in fancy shirts and coats, and men clad in security guard uniforms posing for the camera. Only after reading the caption do you realise that they were actually taken in multiple evacuation centres housing victims of last Sunday’s Taal Volcano eruption.

Apparently, the clothes came from donors who just couldn’t be bothered to filter their contributions, and evacuees didn’t miss the chance to have some fun with them. Many found the photos so hilarious that they have been re-uploaded multiple times in the past week.

This compilation by Facebook user Malick James Hilado alone got over a thousand likes, 6,000 shares, and 800 comments.

Seeing the photos is like jumping into a rabbit hole.

Here’s a guy looking suave in a suit, as if ready to attend a wedding, with his friends in button-down shirts.

Here's a grown man wearing a school girl uniform.

Then there's this evacuee who looks like he just got out of the most relaxing shower.

Here are some evacuees in security guard uniforms, ready to serve and protect you from the Taal Volcano.

They get even crazier. Hilado told VICE that people were still at it when he visited an evacuation centre in Lipa, Batangas on Friday, January 17.

This group of evacuees dressed up in jumpsuits and traffic enforcer uniforms.

Here's more men fabulously posing in women's clothes.

And, oof, this guy in an L.A. County Jail shirt.

These have served as comic relief amid the effects of the Taal Volcano eruption. Thousands of people living in the area have fled their homes as the volcano remains on Alert Level 4, which means another explosion could happen anytime.

“[You could] feel the sadness of the evacuees because it was all so sudden. Everyone was worried about their things, some were crying because their homes had been covered in ash fall, while others worried about the animals they had to leave behind,” Hilado told VICE about his first visit to the Lipa evacuation centre on Thursday, January 16.

Two days after the eruption, evacuees started asking for food, clothes, and milk for their babies who had to sleep on pieces of cardboard. Only the day after did many manage to adjust to the situation.

Now, a week after the eruption, some have returned to their homes to grab belongings they can bring back to evacuation centres. However, they can only do this from 6am to 10am.

So while these viral photos sure made for a good laugh during these tough times, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to think twice before including a wedding dress in your donations. Maybe stick to t-shirts next time?

Find Lia onTwitter and Instagram.