I have seen the “Type O” posters brightly marring open spaces and every nook and cranny in the city. I see it atop a nearby building in the Cebu City Sports Complex everytime I go jogging. I see it plastered on an entrance door to a building where my usual ATM is located. I see it posted on private houses and I see small versions stuck to the bumpers of private vehicles.
At first I couldn't tell what it meant. I thought it probably means somebody inside the building, house or car just wanted to announce their blood type or it's some NGO's health campaign. Then Councilor Joy Young and Congressman Tomas Osmeña have surfaced in the papers smug and proud claiming that their supporters have done all those to show their loyalty. I thought to myself, even if I was a true-blooded BOPK supporter, why would I waste my money on tarpaulins and stickers proclaiming my love for the political party I'm loyal to when elections is still next year. Unless of course if I am coerced, blackmailed or threatened whether subtly or harshly.
Recently, “Type O Angry Ko” posters have surfaced. I first spotted one along B. Rodriguez Street, just a few meters past the Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital. I thought to the Mayor has finally hit back on BOPK's black propaganda campaign against him. And when I checked the papers, Congressman Tomas Osmeña has been quoted as saying he doesn't care about the posters that Team Rama has proliferated. I thought that the South District Representative can't really say anything about it anyway because he is more guilty of the same offense.
But I did think that the childish and ugly poster war is disgusting. And for the Mayor to finally join the bandwagon is just downright despicable because I sincerely thought he was better than that. But then I read on the papers today that Councilor Joy Young claimed that the “Type O Angry Ko” posters were actually the doing of his or BOPK's supporters. He yakked about this story of a group of youth coming up to him asking for funding for the printing of their graphic art masterpiece, which is of course the poster mentioned.
Dear Councilor Young, just how dumb do you think Cebuanos are? Do you expect us to believe your bedtime stories? You are not dealing with gullible kids, you know?
Sincerely yours,
Maria Clara E. Ricamora
mariaclara268@gmail.com