Ronald Cardema is a Filipino government official and politician. He was the substitute nominee of the Duterte Youth Party List but the substitution was declared invalid by the Commission on Election (COMELEC). He was formerly the head of the National Youth Commission.
On August 3, 2020, Ronald Cardema took oath in Calamba City, Laguna as a commissioner of the National Youth Commission, a position lower than his previous post as chair of NYC.
Personal Information
Complete Name –> Ronald Gian Carlo L. Cardema
Nickname –> Ronald
Birthdate –> (Age: 34)
Birthplace –> Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines
Spouse –> Congresswoman Ducille Marie Suarez
Educational Attainment
Elementary – No information
High School – Maquiling School in Los Baños, Laguna
* Ronald was the high school Corps Commander.
College – University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)
Degree: Biology
* Ronald was ROTC Class President.
* As a student, he was a member of the leftist group League of Filipino Students
College – Philippine Military Academy
* He was dismissed from PMA because he communicated with CPP-NDF-NPA leader Jose Maria Sison regarding the death of his uncle.
Work Experiences
* Political Affairs Officer, House of Representatives
* Consultant, National Security Council
* Served as NYC Commissioner representing Luzon from August 2017 to August 2018
* Appointed Chair of the National Youth Commission replacing Cariza “Ice” Seguerra on August 24, 2018
* Appointed as one of the Commissioners of National Youth Commission (NYC) on August 3, 2020.
Other Engagements
* National Chairman of the Duterte Youth Movement
* Secretary-General for Luzon of the Tapang & Malasakit Alliance (Alliance of all Duterte Groups & Supporters under Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte)
Achievements and Awards
* Plaque of Recognition given by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippine
Advocacy
* Return of the Mandatory ROTC Program
Scandals and Controversies
In 2019, Ronald Cardema became the substitute nominee of the Duterte Youth Party List. Such substitution was declared invalid because he was no longer considered a youth since he was over 30 years old. He is currently in an intense word war with Rowena Guanzon, one of the commissioners of the COMELEC after he accused the later of extortion and threatening her with impeachment. He also asked help from President Duterte but the palace begged him not to drag the President into his public squabble with the COMELEC official.
Earlier in 2019, he became the subject of intense criticism when he recommended the expulsion of anti-government students from the government scholarship program. Some groups are calling for his resignation as chairman of the National Youth Commission but he refuses to quit.
Ronald was also under hot water for having a conflict of interest regarding his chairmanship of the commission while his wife Ducielle Marie Suarez became the first nominee of the party-list group Duterte Youth of which he himself was the chairman.
It has also been found out that Ronald did consulted Jose Maria Sison, the titular head of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF) about projects of the Duterte Youth.
See also: Top Government Officials under President Duterte
See also: Profiles of Philippine Provinces and Tourist Spots
References
1. National Youth Commission – Retrieved Feb. 23, 2019
2. Philippine Star – Retrieved Feb. 23, 2019
3. Rappler News – Retrieved Feb. 23, 2019
