Ferdinand "Ferdie" Viceo Estrella (born September 5, 1979) is a Filipino politician who is currently serving as mayor of

Baliwag Baliwag, officially the City of Baliwag (; , Kapampangan: ''Lakanbalen ning Baliwag/Siudad ning Baliwag,'' also spelled as ''Baliuag''), is a component city in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popul ...

, in office since 2016. Previously, he was a Barangay chairman of Poblacion from 2007 until 2016 and the ABC President of the municipality from 2010 until 2016.

Early life and education

Estrella was born on September 5, 1979, in

Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan (; ; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Regions of the Philippines, region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on ...

, Philippines. He is the son of businesswoman Sonia Viceo and former Mayor Romeo M. Estrella (January 17, 1943 – March 7, 2019), who served as mayor of Baliwag from 2004 to 2013. Estrella graduated in 2003 from the

University of Asia and the Pacific The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P; ) is a private university in the Philippines. It traces its beginnings to the Center for Research and Communication (CRC), which was established on August 15, 1967, as a private think-tank that cond ...

(UA&P) with a degree in Entrepreneurial Management.

Political career

Estrella began his political career in 2007 as the Barangay chairman of Poblacion, Baliwag. He served in this role until 2016 and was also the ABC President of the municipality from 2010 to 2016. In 2016, Estrella was elected mayor of Baliwag, succeeding Carolina Dellosa. He has since been re-elected and continues to serve in this role. During his tenure, he has focused on improving local infrastructure, promoting economic development, and enhancing public services. Estrella has been affiliated with several political parties throughout his career. He was a member of the NUP from 2012 to 2015, the NPC from 2015 to 2018, and the

PDP–Laban The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP, ) is a populist political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was previously known as Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP–Laban) from 1983 to 2024 as a result of a merger with L ...

from 2018 to 2024. In 2024, he returned to the NUP.

COVID-19 diagnosis

On March 17, 2020, Estrella tested positive for

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

. He recovered on March 29, 2020.

Legal issues

On July 14, 2017, the

Ombudsman of the Philippines In the Philippines, the Office of the Ombudsman () is the constitutional body responsible for investigating and prosecuting Philippine government officials accused of crimes, especially graft and corruption. Functions Under the Constitution ...

filed criminal cases before the

Sandiganbayan The Sandiganbayan () is a special Appellate court, appellate collegial court in the Philippines that has jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases involving Graft (politics), graft and corrupt practices and other offenses committed by public ...

against Estrella's father, former Mayor Romeo M. Estrella, for violations of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), Section 59 Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987, and Article 171 (4) of the Revised Penal Code. The charges specified that the former mayor allegedly appointed his niece, Julieta Estrella-Laguna, as the municipal government's labor general foreman in violation of the Civil Service rules against

nepotism Nepotism is the act of granting an In-group favoritism, advantage, privilege, or position to Kinship, relatives in an occupation or field. These fields can include business, politics, academia, entertainment, sports, religion or health care. In ...

. On March 12, 2019, Sandiganbayan Second Division granted the motions for leave of court and the demurrer to evidence filed by former Baliuag, Bulacan mayor Romeo Estrella, effectively dismissing the two graft cases filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with a dispute over market stall rental

Personal life

Estrella is married to Jonnah Nubla, and they have two sons. He maintains a low-profile personal life.

Gallery

File:Estrella_Family_Mausoleum.jpg, The tomb-chapel File:Estrella_Family_Mausoleum2.jpg, Romeo-Ferdinand Estrella Family Mausoleum File:Estrella_Family_Mausoleum10.jpg, Gate of mausoleum File:Mayorjf.jpg, Mayor Romeo M. Estrella

External links

References

1979 births Living people Politicians from Bulacan National Unity Party (Philippines) politicians Nationalist People's Coalition politicians Partido Demokratiko Pilipino politicians Mayors of places in Bulacan University of Asia and the Pacific alumni {{Philippines-politician-stub