[Inside the Newsroom] Kiko Barzaga doesn’t deserve the spotlight

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'The actions of the Dasmariñas congressman should be covered using a more critical lens. Not doing so risks elevating a figure whose credentials crumble under scrutiny.'

Dasmariñas Congressman Kiko Barzaga has been making headlines recently and has become a social media darling — well, depending on your algorithm.

But here’s the thing: I don’t think he deserves the attention he’s getting, and we should be more careful about putting him on a pedestal. 

Hi, I’m Dwight de Leon, congressional reporter for Rappler, faced with the burden to evaluate whether what Barzaga actually says is newsworthy.

That’s no easy task, given that he’s made a lot of bold statements. He has urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resign, called for the imprisonment of former House speaker Martin Romualdez, and accused Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro of harboring pro-war sentiments.

Online, some political factions are willing to embrace his brand of politics. It makes sense —  but also doesn’t — at the same time. 

He preaches to a crowd that is fed up with the administration’s shortcomings — and I dare say incompetence. He attracts the ears of an electorate frustrated with Congress’ mental and legal calisthenics to defend their vested interests, and with the government’s incapability to produce swift results on its promised crackdown against corruption.

But does he have the moral high ground to position himself as an anti-corruption crusader?

The 27-year-old Kiko is a neophyte lawmaker — part of the House’s batch of 2025 that came from a political dynasty, one that has ruled Dasmariñas in Cavite since 1998. Currently, the Barzagas hold the city’s mayoral, vice mayoral, and congressional seats.

In 2022, Kiko backed the Marcos-Sara Duterte tandem, breaking away from the rest of the family that endorsed the candidacy of then-presidential aspirant Leni Robredo.  

He dropped out from college, but easily won a council seat in 2019 and 2022, before becoming a congressman in 2025. He ran a campaign that had no concrete platform, only a solid jingle that went viral on TikTok. 

He has no impressive public service portfolio, just a powerful surname. Other wannabe politicians who want to enter elective government have to work twice — or thrice — as hard just to make it to the doorstep. 

Some politicians — including Barzaga’s former party mates at the National Unity Party (NUP) — are speculating about his mental health. Such a discussion is a slippery slope, and one that also misses the point. 

The NUP endorsed his candidacy, and even supported his election as assistant majority leader upon his entry to Congress. Why did they do all that if they already knew Barzaga’s situation a long time ago? They cited the party’s long ties with and deep respect for his late father, party stalwart Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr.

Shouldn’t politics and public service be about merit, and not merely relationships?

It’s tempting for media — and content creators who are after the clicks — to join the bandwagon and consistently feature a goofball lawmaker, a self-proclaimed animal lover who says “meow” whenever he can. 

But it’s simplistic, and maybe even offers a caricaturish portrait of a Gen Z lawmaker. 

If the media wants to spotlight opposition figures, there’s no shortage of lawmakers staying in Batasang Pambansa until the wee hours, scrutinizing the budget proposal of the executive: Leila de Lima, Chel Diokno, Antonio Tinio to name a few; Renee Co, Sarah Elago, and Eli San Fernando to represent a younger generation. 

I’m not saying there should be a media blackout on Barzaga. We wrote about his resignation from NUP and his criticisms of Romualdez, his failed speakership bid, and the ethics complaint against him stemming from his jokes about setting the Batasang Pambansa on fire, among other things.

But with his other remarks and shenanigans, we decided to just take note of them, in case they become relevant for a future story.

Barzaga’s actions should be covered using a more critical lens. Not doing so risks elevating a figure whose credentials crumble under scrutiny. – Rappler.com