There are only a couple of things which are certain in the Philippines, two of which are the weather. On one hand, we have the blazingly hot year-round summer seasons; on the other hand, we have the wet (and mostly destructive) rainy seasons which falter each time it reaches Philippine shores. Understandably, we are a tropical country, which is why almost every month consist of the hot summer sun, regardless if it’s the first eight months of the year or the “Ber” months which comes after. You may even find yourself sweating profusely while reading this, and believe us, even when we were writing this article, we were experiencing the exact same thing. But all of that is nothing compared to the faltering rain showers which rarely shows up within the country. For some, it is a sure sign of comfort, with the rain ushering in the cool temperature in days which would otherwise be a heat trap, for others, not so much of a cool, comfy weather, but a rather a very horrible one. Here’s the thing, when we say that the Philippines’ rain showers are rare and usually falters, it is a mere overstatement. Yes, it would only rain for a few days or so within the year, and yes, usually, it starts out weak, but within that very limited timeframe and weak start, the raindrops just keep on adding up, escalating by the minute, until you realize that the supposedly weak rain shower for the day has turned into a full blown typhoon. Make no mistake, the Philippine weather is already unpredictable by all accounts, but when the rain drops, you better find a high ground covered by a sturdy roof, because if not, you’re definitely going to get wet.
But that is not to say that you wouldn’t be able to prepare for the upcoming rain showers. No, you actually have a lot of options when it comes to going up against the gloomy weather. Make time to follow these options and perhaps, you may just get by without getting drenched by the downpour.
1. Take time to check on your daily forecast.
If you happen to watch the evening news then you’re in for a treat. Before the nightly news ends, the weather report for the next day is usually heralded by the resident weatherman. Take note of his “predictions” and feel free to analyze his animated charts for a better understanding of tomorrow’s weather. Of course, weather patterns may change from time to time, so feel free to follow up with a weather app (you may already have one on your phone, packaged with the usual software). Even if the weather report shows a very sunny day, take that with a grain of salt and prepare for any unexpected showers. Be mindful of what you’re going to wear the next day. Perhaps go for apparel which would allow you to move freely, come rain or shine. Remember, no person can ever control the weather, if it’s going to be a very sunny day and you’re wearing thick clothes, then that is completely on you. The same can be said about a very rainy day, with the downpour seething in because you wore clothes which are fully absorbent.
2. Never forget to bring an umbrella.
Regardless of the weather, your only trustworthy friend would be your umbrella. Basically, you have to protect yourself from all kinds of weather, and umbrellas are a perfect fit for both rain and sunshine. To maximize its use for a hot day, go for black umbrellas, as they often deflect heat more effectively than other colored umbrellas. For a rainy day, however, feel free to use any other color. If you don’t want to carry a lot of things during commute, then perhaps a folding umbrella may just be right up your alley. You can purchase them from your local apparel stores and shopping malls. The best thing about them is that they aren’t even expensive, you can buy them for a very affordable price, but beware, some umbrellas are much tougher in quality (non-bending), hence why they are costlier than the usual.
3. If it isn’t important, avoid going outdoors.
Okay, so you’ve managed to watch the recent weather forecast, and according to the weatherman, you’ll be having rain showers all day long. So, what do you do? Well, you must first analyze your options, think about your outdoor activity for the day. If it’s about paying your bills or processing a very important personal paperwork, then by all means, surge through the rain wearing your protective gear. However, if it’s just about checking the latest mall in town or dining out, then you might as well cancel the whole thing. Remember, your safety and welfare is more valuable than any other excuse to go outdoors. For now, we are even riddled with an ongoing pandemic, so both the rain and the rampant virus are both dangerous adversaries which you have to avoid getting tangled with. Social distancing and sanitation protocols might be in place, but they aren’t enough to protect you 100% of the time. Stay safe and stay put in the comfort of your home.
With all of that being said, it is only understandable that you may want to get yourself and your future protected against all odds, after all, it isn’t just the gloomy weather that you’d have to worry about. There are a lot of external factors which may or may not affect your well-being, and it may not be a surprise that you’re weighing in your options right now, analyzing which establishment would be best for availing a well-trusted microinsurance premium and coverage. Look no further than with Cebuana Lhuiller’s Microinsurance Services, an affordable insurance product to help Filipinos avail of financial services and privileges that higher-income earners have easy access to, with innovative microinsurance products and services that promise to minimize impact of distress and misfortune on one’s financial position. Feel free to visit your nearest branch for more information.