Rainy Days: Braving the Traffic and Flood in the Metro
Rain has finally come! IMAGE from Inquirer.net
After the sweltering and torturous heat of summer, it is finally time to say goodbye to the beach, put our air conditioning units to rest and welcome the rainy season in the Philippines! But despite the cool winds and the relaxing atmosphere this season brings, we have to face another challenge living and working in the metro: braving the streets of Metro Manila during the dreaded typhoon season.
So how should we stay dry, keep calm and, basically, survive this season? Here are five tips to keep in mind.
Always bring an umbrella
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Fibrella has been one of the trusted umbrella brands in the country/IMAGE from WinRie’s deviantart.
–Having an umbrella ready 24/7 is a major lifesaver in the Philippines. An umbrella will protect you from the unpredictable weather of the country, from the harsh heat during the dry season to the unnerving rainfall of the wet season. By investing with a quality (and compact for a more convenient) umbrella, you can avoid the trouble of buying umbrellas again and again.
–Wear boots/ bring your own slippers
You can even glam up your outfit with different boot designs/IMAGE from JessicaSerra.com
Wearing rain boots is highly advisable if your commute to work or school involves passing through streets that are easily flooded (think España and Kamuning). With rain boots, walking through the streets with ankle-deep flood will be a piece of cake. It will save you money and time from waiting to be picked up by tricycle or pedicab drivers who will usher you from one point to the next. If you will walk on the puddle-filled streets of Manila, wearing tsinelas (slippers) will save you the trouble of cleaning your mud-covered shoes. It will also make it easy for you to clean your feet when you arrive home.
–Ready your GrabCar/Taxi and/or Uber applications
GrabCar, one of the popular Transportation Network Companies in the Philippines/IMAGE from grabtaxi.com.
Commuting can be hell for Filipinos as most vehicles are packed during the rainy season. Catching a jeepney during rush hour will take longer and it will sometimes make you late. But thanks to the increasing popularity of Transportation Network Companies (TNC) like GrabCar and Uber, commuting has become much more convenient. These companies offer their services through a phone application under the same name. With GrabCar/Taxi and Uber ready, you can skip the waiting, book your own cabs or car and go straight to your destination.
–Always have extra cash on hand
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Having these in your wallet can save you!/IMAGE from liveinthephilippines.com.
Whether you are stranded somewhere or you decide to take a cab, having extra cash on you is always a good thing. Commuters in the Philippines tend to get stuck in one place during a heavy storm. When this happens, be sure that you have the money to buy food and drinks as you wait for the rain to die down. If you decide to grab a taxi the normal way, finding alternative routes to avoid the traffic and flood may increase your commute fare.
–Charge your phones and power banks–
Charge them up and be prepared for emergencies/IMAGE from mobiletechbase.com.
Before leaving home, work, or school, make sure that your mobile phones and/or power banks are fully charged (or at least 70-80% charged). In case you get stranded or run late, you can easily contact your family, friends, officemate or schoolmates about your condition via call or text message. You can also save a life if you can easily call hotlines during emergencies.
Be sure to remember these tips because with these, you can enjoy the rainy season of the country despite the flood and the traffic.
Article by Rizza Singun
