With PAG-ASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) announcing that it’s officially rainy season in the Philippines, daily commuters would soon start to brave the strong winds, floods, and traffic all at once.
Here’s a checklist of handy items to get you prepared these coming wet days because, sometimes, an umbrella is not just enough! Keep your stress at bay by slipping these rainy season essentials in your bag.
Bag Rain Cover
Using a folding umbrella maybe handy but it’s not wide enough to keep your bag from getting wet, especially when the rain comes with strong winds. With a simple rain cover, you don’t have to worry about your backpack and the items inside from getting wet. Rain covers for bags come in different sizes and colors.
Price range: PHP80.00-PHP100.00, available online at e-commerce sites
Shoe Cover
If you want to save yourself from the hassle of carrying plastic boots and slippers, you can just bring a pair of shoe covers to keep your kicks from getting wet. These plastic covers are handy and won’t put much weight in your bag.
Price range: PHP50.00-PHP80.00, available online at e-commerce sites
Disposable Raincoat / Rain Poncho
These cute and colorful keychains hold a disposable rain poncho or rain coat that’s perfect if it’s too windy to open an umbrella. It’s lightweight and not bulky compared with the usual raincoat.
Price range: PHP30.00-PHP70.00, available online at e-commerce sites
Zip Lock Bags
For gadgets and important documents, it’s best to store them in zip lock bags to make sure they won’t get wet if it’s raining cats and dogs. For more durable option, you can also use mobile zip locks and small dry bags.
Price range: PHP30.00-PHP50.00, available in supermarkets
Bottled alcohol or hand sanitizer
Rainy season is unfortunately a season of colds and flu. Don’t let yourself catch a cold by always sanitizing your hands before or after eating. You can also use this to disinfect your feet if you ever happen to walk in flooded streets. Hand sanitizer or alcohol in a spray bottle is handy and easy to use.
Price range: PHP50.00-PHP80.00 per small bottle, available in drugstores
Moisturizers
Keep your skin and lips moisturized during the cold weather with a lip balm and lotion. Areas with visible dry skin include the hands, elbows, and legs. Avoid your lips from getting chapped by dabbing lip balm.
Price range of small bottled lotion: PHP60.00-PHP100.00, available in drugstores
Price range of lip balm: PHP80.00-PHP150.00, available in drugstores
Power Bank
Heavy rain leads to flooding, and flooding leads to being stranded on the road. Always bring a power bank with you, preferably the ones with 20,000mAh, so it can juice up your phone twice or if you carry around two gadgets. Stay online so you can catch up on news about flooding in other areas, road blockings, and other emergency situations. This will give you access to your loved ones to update them on your whereabouts.
Price range: PHP1,500.00-PHP2,000.00, available at gadget stores and e-commerce sites
These handy must-haves are affordable enough to keep you dry and safe this wet season. What are your personal rainy-day essentials aside from the items listed above? Let us know in the comments section!