WHILE it may not be the end of the world as we know it, it won't hurt to have some things ready when the millennium rolls around. After all, no one, not even the most sober experts, knows exactly what will happen when the clock hits Jan. 1, 2000.

The Internet is swamped by Y2K "gloomsites" and stories about how "survivalists" are preparing for this glitch in time. There's this family in Ohio whose contingencies include a gas-powered home generator, a year's supply of dehydrated food, a waterbed and a shotgun. And then there's this hydraulics specialist who's hunting for a cave to take shelter in when "hell starts" on Jan. 1, 2000 and the planets align in May 2000 to "burn the earth."

We don't expect you to go these extremes. Just a few precautions to get you through some inconveniences that the "millennium bug" is likely to create. We sifted through numerous advice sent to us by email, weeded out what we thought were over the top ("eat only foods from your year-2000 supplies," "use solar energy," "stockpile but don't hoard," "avoid flying or riding on trains") and came up with a list of practical things that you can do to avoid being bitten by the bug.

l Be sure to have two weeks of cash on hand. No other sector is as prepared for the millennium bug as the financial sector. The country's biggest banks like Metropolitan Band and Trust Co. and Philippine International Commercial Bank have been spending millions over the last two years upgrading their systems. Not even the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, however, is 100-percent sure that there won't be problems since the financial system is linked in a network of mainframes, servers and personal computers. One weak link and the system may have more than a New Year's hangover on Jan. 1, 2000. Having cash on hand will help you survive the transition.

l Secure printed copies of bank, investment and credit card accounts. Bank officials say part of the precautions they are taking is backing up and storing printed copies of files created before Dec. 31, 1999. Still, having your own copies will help iron out kinks that may arise, like credit cards suddenly losing their purchasing powers.

l Obtain a copy of your credit report before Sept. 9, 1999, after Sept. 9, 1999 but before Dec. 31, 1999 and after Jan. 1, 1999. Compare documents for errors. Sept. 9, 1999 (09/09/99) is a problem date because some programmers use a "9999" code as a reset flag.

l Keep printed copies of homeowner's, flood, car, life and health insurance policies, with expiration dates printed on them.

l Submit medical claims and other request for benefits from the Social Security System as early in 1999 as possible. Also, keep copies of your contributions and income tax payments. Studies have shown that less than 40 percent of the government's computers are Y2K-ready. It is not a remote possibility that the SSS may lose track of your contributions because of the millennium bug.