EDITORIAL - What if the mascots faint?

At first people thought the Citom was joking. But since it is upon a Citom board resolution that the training of fastfood chain mascots as traffic enforcers is anchored, Cebu City's traffic management arm must be in real earnest.

And there lies the problem. While the logic behind the plan is good -- to raise awareness about traffic management and regulations, as well as road safety and courtesy -- it is very doubtful if it can be carried out to its fullest potential.

First of all, the mascots are real people. While on the outside Jollibee and Ronald McDonald can keep their happy demeanors going, it is doubtful if the real people inside the heavy and stuffy costumes can keep up their traffic enforcement acts going under the stifling heat of Cebu's eternal tropical sun.

What a big public relations nightmare it would be for the fastfood chain companies concerned if, say, Jollibee or Ronald McDonald, either alternately or together, collapse on the pavement from the heat and sheer exhaustion.

When Citom hatched the plan, clearly it only considered the positive aspects but failed to see the negatives. As to the fastfood chain companies themselves, it is possible they were simply overwhelmed by the chance to contribute to the city's traffic welfare as part of their corporate social responsibilities.

But the possibility of their mascots, or rather the people struggling to play happy roles inside the costumes, collapsing from heat and exhaustion is very real and cannot be ignored. Clearly these companies must consider the repercussions if they do.

A mascot collapsing is not just a mascot collapsing. Remember that these mascots are very identifiable icons and very effective representations of their respective fastfood chain companies. A mascot collapsing will make the company they represent the butt of jokes on everyone's lips.

A mascot collapsing can even boomerang against the very products being sold by their respective fastfood chain companies. We all know the joke that followed when Nonito Donaire, an endorser of a brand of French fries, lost badly in a boxing bout. The Citom plan is a p.r. nightmare waiting to happen.