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- Cardema’s appointment as a new NYC commissioner drew criticism online.
- It was after his controversial stint to gain a seat at the House of Representatives.
Ronald Cardema’s comeback as a public official was criticized and questioned by youth groups and netizens. He is a newly-assigned commissioner of the National Youth Commission (NYC) just more than a year after his controversial bid to gain a seat at the House of Representatives through the Duterte Youth party-list.
“The jokes just keep coming,” Sofia Tomacruz wrote in a tweet.
“One reason the Comelec en banc rejected Cardema’s bid was because he didn’t meet the age limit required of a youth representative. And now he’s back… in the National Youth Commission…”
The jokes just keep coming.
One reason the Comelec en banc rejected Cardema's bid was because he didn't meet the age limit required of a youth representative. And now he's back… in the National Youth Commission…https://t.co/NKQAo4tXXl
— Sofia Tomacruz (@sofiatomacruz) August 3, 2020
The party-list law mandates that representatives of the youth sector must be at least 25 years old, but not more than 30 years old, on Election Day. Cardema is 34 years old.
“He is back as a commissioner of the NYC, not as assistant secretary of the DILG,” Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said.
Youth Act Now Against Tyranny called the move a “kind of recycling” in a supposed attempt of President Rodrigo Duterte to “consolidate control over all branches of government” while youths critical of his administration reject his “tyrannical rule.”
“The recycling of Ronald Cardema comes at a time when youth groups have been more critical of the NYC under the Duterte administration. Duterte’s NYC has been a tool of government-led redtagging while it has failed to promote youth interests and welfare,” the group said.
ON THE APPOINTMENT OF RONALD CARDEMA AS NYC COMMISSIONER
This is not the kind of recycling we want.
The military-led DILG brought back Ronald Cardema to the NYC — this time as Commissioner.
[a thread] pic.twitter.com/Zz9cwl4W8B
— Youth Act Now Against Tyranny (@YouthActNowPH) August 4, 2020
A netizen even stated that he would prefer posts about the sudden influx of ostrich over the news about Cardema.
I know some people are disturbed by this influx of ostrich content on social media.
But imagine the stress levels some of us had to endure as we watched news of Cardema's return to the NYC flood our feeds.
I will prefer occasional ostrich content over Cardema anytime.
— Bryan Gonzales (@brygonzales_ph) August 4, 2020
Another one described Cardema as a “disgrace” to Calamba, Laguna.
Cardema is a disgrace to Calamba, he is NO representative of the youth!!! https://t.co/Cx91UniXGD
— Leonard Javier ✊ #HealthForAll ⌬ (@STPbasileo) August 3, 2020
Others then criticized the quiz bee achievement present in Cardema’s curriculum vitae at NYC’s website.
https://twitter.com/hentai_mae/status/1291006899807064064
Stop calling this person as a "youth leader", his age does not belong to the youth sector nor does he represent us as a vulnerable sector. https://t.co/nVWoJatE2G
— L. Cayabyab #JUNKTerrorLaw (@findinglemuel) August 5, 2020
JUSKO ha. Sa mga resume na binabasa natin when hiring, alam mo nang may something wrong sa tao na late 30s tapos nililista pa rin ang achievements nung student sya. There should have been enough achievements in 20 years to fill up a page. Stunted growth siguro no?
— Textbook Marites (@marielitams) August 5, 2020
Cardema scored 17 consultancies in Congress (presumably paid 17 times too) and an appointment as NYC Commissioner for having been elected class president in high school and for winning a spelling bee???
Why work for that post-graduate degree, when you can just raise your fist? https://t.co/bRat9TLNBG
— EMIL (@13thFool) August 4, 2020
Before his bid for public office, Cardema was known to be one of the most vocal and staunch supporters of Duterte, seen frequently in pro-Duterte rallies organized to counter dissent demonstrations.
