MANILA, Philippines ? Here comes the rain, and that means a number of companies are down with the seasonal blues.

Airlines, shipping companies and travel agencies write off the third quarter as their lowest in the year since very few people brave the weather to explore new destinations here and abroad. That?s why they practically give away low-fare seats to entice travelers to fly despite the gloomy weather.

And they?re not the only ones who let the rainy days get them down.

Gabriel Licauco, operations manager of specialty bookstore Powerbooks, revealed that not as many people walk into their branches when it rains compared to when it?s sunny outside. This means lower sales during the typhoon season.

Jimmy Thai, director of the Primer group that owns and operates the Recreational Outdoor Exchange in Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City, similarly noted that sales are more affected by rains than by inflation. He explained that since the place is not a typical covered mall, and instead has lots of open space, it depends a lot on good weather to attract shoppers. Thai recalled how, during typhoon ?Frank,? not a single customer walked into the store, prompting them to close their doors early.

But if there are shops and industries weighed down by the grey skies, there are others that are singing in the rain, so to speak.

Among these is the Figaro Coffee Corp., the country?s largest Filipino-owned chain of coffee shops. Figaro CEO Pacita U. Juan noted that hot drinks do well during the rainy season because people tend to hang out in one place, and linger longer, rather than move around. And since coffee shops have become a favorite meeting place among friends and people doing business, the rains bring good tidings to coffee shops.

?People restricted by the rains tend to patronize nearby coffee places, like those in their own buildings or places of work instead of going all the way to the mall just to get coffee,? Juan said, ?Sales increases are not that significant during the rainy season but they tend to be concen-trated in the more accessible areas,? she said.

As a whole, Juan predicted that food and beverage companies should do well during the monsoon season as Filipinos love to eat and drink in one place when the weather is conducive to eating and socializing.

A Goldilocks Foodshop source confirmed this, adding that there is a spike in sales in some products perceived to be comfort foods because of their familiarity to the Filipino palate and similarity to home cooking. These include fresh lumpia, dinuguan, pancit palabok, pancit malabon, sinigang na bangus belly and combo meals featuring barbecue, laing and rellenong bangus.

Goldilocks Marketing Manager Mauie Tamsi said: ?Somehow, the pitter-patter of rain subconsciously reminds us of that magical moment when we hear the words ?walang pasok!? (no classes), which is why there is a longing for the comfort food of our childhood.?

She added: ?Being happily stuck at home at an unanticipated time forced mom to cook the menu she knew by heart. These were home-cooked dishes that were quick, filling, absolutely delicious, and proven favorites. For many, this included fare that we have since become famous for. Whenever people want to revisit the moment, Goldilocks Foodshop becomes the gateway to a soothing memory.?

Frances Yu, vice president of the Shopwise hypermarket chain, has noticed other peculiarities in people?s buying behavior during the rainy season. Not surprisingly, the demand for dairy products, especially ice cream, and fresh seafood usually goes down during the rainy season.

?For seafood, it?s usually more of a problem of supply than demand. During the rainy season, it?s harder to catch fish due to strong waves. In contrast, dried fish like tuyo and daing enjoy higher sales. Meat sales, particularly pork and chicken, also rise,? Yu said.

Another winner in sales during the rainy season is disposable diapers, since it can be difficult to wash and dry cloth diapers at this time. Basic items like rice, sugar, canned goods, noodles, coffee, and water are also brisk sellers, due partly to that ?hoarding mentality? that anticipates a shortage should rain-induced calamities strike, like floods, brownouts, and so on.

Yu added: ?Ready-to-drink juices also sell very briskly during the season as these are purchased as relief goods for victims of typhoons and calamities.?

Filipinos do get to stay home more often with the rains and this augurs well for the sales of Unilever?s soup products, according to its managing director Chito Macapagal. This is especially true of Knorr Sabaw ng Sinigang mix.

?Filipino families usually want something hot and soupy during the rainy days,? Macapagal said. They also like products that help them whip up food favorites in a jiffy, what with the kids home from school and indoors during stormy weather, he said, citing the increased sales of Ladies Choice and Bestfoods sandwich spreads and dressings.

Predictably, indoor sports equipment also do well during the rainy season, according to Roberto Claudio, owner of Toby?s Sports. During the third quarter, sales of equipment like table tennis and badminton rackets, darts and workout items like yoga mats and boxing gloves increase, he said. Also flying off the shelves are board games such as chess, mahjong sets and home fitness equipment like exercise bikes and treadmills.

Similarly, Roel Chan, marketing manager of the ROX sporting goods store, has also noted an increase in sales of North Face jackets. ?We have the most number of outerwear and rain gear and our sales in this category pick up at the beginning of the rainy season until February,? Chan said, ?Summer is when the sales of bags and shoes pick up.?

For Anton Gonzalez of Planet Sports, the best sellers during the rainy season are wind breakers, leather or synthetic leather footwear, high or mid-cut shoes and closed shoes?anything to protect the feet against getting wet.