House of Representatives (2022–present)
Cardema took her oath of office on May 30,2022,becoming a Representative through the Duterte Youth Party-List,which secured a seat in the 2022 Philippine general election. [1] As the first nominee of the party list,she succeeded to the position following the party's electoral victory.
In July 2022,Cardema filed a house resolution seeking to revert the name of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport back to Manila International Airport insisting that the name of the airport should not be "politicized". The airport is named after Benigno Aquino Jr.,a critic of then president Ferdinand Marcos who was assasinated in the airport. [2]
In August 2023,Cardema advocated for a larger budget allocation for the Supreme Court,requesting ₱72 billion for the judiciary branch. [3] This proposal represented a significant increase from previous budgets and was intended to strengthen the judiciary's operational capacity.
In September 2024,Cardema was among the lawmakers who filed a bill seeking to restore the death penalty in the Philippines. [4] The proposed legislation aimed to reimpose capital punishment for certain heinous crimes,continuing a controversial policy position supported by former President Rodrigo Duterte during his administration.
In November 2024,Cardema made headlines when veteran lawmakers had to correct her during a congressional hearing. [5] The incident highlighted tensions between established legislative members and representatives from newer political groups like Duterte Youth.
Also in November 2024,Cardema publicly questioned the Constitutional Commission's criticism of political leaders,defending what she referred to as "the two most trusted leaders of the country." [6] Her statement reflected the continued political divisions in Philippine politics following the Duterte administration.
