Kiko Barzaga | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Member of thePhilippine House of Representatives fromCavite's 4th district | |
| Assumed office June 30, 2025 Suspended: December 1, 2025 - January 30, 2026; since February 4, 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Elpidio Barzaga Jr. |
| House Assistant Majority Leader | |
| In office July 29, 2025 – September 10, 2025 | |
| Leader | Sandro Marcos |
| Member of theCavite Provincial Board | |
Ex officio | |
| In office June 30, 2022 – June 30, 2025 | |
| Sector | Philippine Councilors League |
| Preceded by | Anne Jomille Humarang (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Edward Samala Jr. |
| Member of theDasmariñas City Council | |
| In office June 30, 2019 – June 30, 2025 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Francisco Austria Barzaga (1998-09-12)September 12, 1998 (age 27) Dasmariñas,Cavite, Philippines |
| Party | Independent (2025–present) |
| Other political affiliations | NUP (2018–2025) |
| Parents |
|
| Education | De La Salle University – Dasmariñas (dropped out) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Nickname | Congressmeow[1] |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Philippines |
| Branch/service | Armed Forces of the Philippines |
| Years of service | 2025 (delisted) |
| Rank |  Private (reserve) |
Francisco “Kiko” Austria Barzaga (born September 12, 1998) is a Filipino politician andanimal welfare advocate who has served as therepresentative forCavite's fourth district since 2025, but was suspended for 60 days from December 1, 2025 for disorderly behavior and misconduct. He briefly returned on January 30, 2026, but was suspended once again on February 4, 2026.[2][3] During his tenure, he also served as an assistant majority leader from July 2025 until his resignation in September that year. A member of the Barzagapolitical family based inDasmariñas, he served as a member ofthat city's council from 2019 to 2025 and anex officio member of theCavite Provincial Board as the president ofPhilippine Councilors League for the province from 2022 to 2025.
Barzaga is the second-youngest member of the20th Congress afterTingog Party List representativeAndrew Julian Romualdez. Barzaga is anindependent after resigning from theNational Unity Party in 2025.
He is known for his online presence for "shitposting", positioning himself as a critic of the administration of PresidentBongbong Marcos and an ally of theDutertes. He is facing ethics complaints in the House of Representatives for unethical behavior and a separate criminal charges for sedition and rebellion.[4]
Francisco Austria Barzaga was born on September 12, 1998 inDasmariñas,Cavite, to then municipal mayorElpidio Barzaga Jr. and thenbarangay San SimoncouncilorJenny Barzaga (née Austria).[5][6][7] He was named after his ancestor Francisco E. Barzaga, who had served as municipal president of Dasmariñas in 1900.[8] He is also the older brother of incumbent Dasmariñas vice mayor Elpidio "Third" Barzaga III and Lorenzo Barzaga.
Barzaga had delayed his college pursuit as of 2017 due to his political preparations, which led to his election as aDasmariñas city councilor in 2019. He then enrolled at theDe La Salle University – Dasmariñas in 2022 to pursue a degree inpolitical science. However, he dropped out in 2025 during his third year due to the demands of his alderman duties and congressional candidacy. In an interview withOgie Diaz, he had also stated plans to transfer to Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Dasmariñas and to take up aveterinary course.[9]
Barzaga ran for a seat in theDasmariñas City Council during the2019 elections and2022 elections and successfully won both of them.[10] In 2022, he endorsed the successfulpresidential and vice-presidential campaigns ofBongbong Marcos andSara Duterte, respectively, as well as theirUniTeam ticket.[11] Later that year and during his second term as councilor, he was named president of thePhilippine Councilors LeagueCavite Chapter, earning him anex officio seat on theCavite Provincial Board.[12]
On March 2022, during the2022 Philippinel elections, Barzaga's father, Elpidio Barzaga, the party president of the NUP endorsedLeni Robredo. Barzaga then went on stage, played his campaign jingle, grabbed his father's paper and publicly endorsedBongbong Marcos, chanted "BBM! BBM!", and reminded the rally attenders to vote for him,[13] he was the only candidate wearing red during the rally.[14]
Barzaga ran forRepresentative ofCavite's fourth district, aiming to replace his late father,Elpidio Barzaga Jr., who died in office on April 27, 2024.[15][16][17] He, along with his mother and brother, won the election.[18][19] In a post-election interview byNews5, Barzaga stated he has no plans to run for national level positions.[20]
Barzaga's 2025 campaignjingle for congressman was a cover of Haring Manggi Miguelito Malakas's song "Lupaypay" and even sang by Haring Manggi himself.[7] The jingle went viral due to its catchy tunes and the fact that Barzaga's campaign was very associated withcats.Labor leader and senatorial candidateLuke Espiritu criticized Barzaga, saying he won not because of his campaign style but because he is part of apolitical family.[21]
Barzaga supported House SpeakerMartin Romualdez's successful reelection and became a member of the majority bloc during the20th Congress' commencement on July 28, 2025.[22] The next day, Barzaga was named as an assistant majority leader under House majority leaderSandro Marcos (PresidentBongbong Marcos's son and Speaker Romualdez's nephew).[23]
On September 10, 2025, Barzaga left theNational Unity Party (NUP) after he was supposedly accused by Deputy Speaker and party chairmanRonaldo Puno that he solicited signatures to remove Speaker Romualdez, a claim which Barzaga denied. He also left the majority bloc and gave up being an assistant majority leader.[24][25] He also called for an investigation into allegedirregularities in flood control funding while Speaker Romualdez was the legislative caretaker of Cavite's 4th District following the death of Barzaga's fatherElpidio Jr. in April 2024, claiming anomalies may have occurred during Romualdez's oversight.[26] In addition, he had also publicly criticized Sandro Marcos, President Bongbong Marcos, Senate PresidentTito Sotto, and SenatorPing Lacson onFacebook regarding such investigation.[27]
On September 15, 2025, the NUP announced its intent to file an ethics complaint against Barzaga, citing four possible violations: failing to reflect creditably on the House, engaging in unlawful and immoral acts, incitingseditious activity, and conduct unbecoming of a member of Congress.[28][29] Evidence presented in the ethics complain include Barzaga posting lewd photos with scantily clad women and him making ostentatious display of wealth by holding bundles of cash.[30]
On September 16, 2025, Barzaga expressed his intent to replace Romualdez as speaker and hoped Sandro Marcos will support him. Barzaga said he had one or two House members that are willing to support him for speakership.[31] However, following Romualdez's resignation as Speaker on September 17, Barzaga was not nominated for the speakership and chose to abstain from the election, which resulted inBojie Dy being elected as the new Speaker.[27] On September 23, Barzaga filed an ethics complaint against Puno accusing him of misconduct.[32] It also partly stemmed from Puno's remarks regarding mental health, which for Barzaga "is a very sensitive topic, and it's also one that one cannot speak on without necessary professional ability."[33] On September 24, Barzaga admitted plotting acoup d'état against Speaker Dy and publicly endorsedNavotas RepresentativeToby Tiangco as Speaker.[34][35]
Deputy SpeakerJanette Garin alleged that Barzaga invited her to be part of an independent "meow"bloc in the lower house of the Congress.[36] A few days prior, she voiced concern over his "meow-meow" interjections during sessions and his unannounced speakership bid, noting his behavior was causing confusion and was inappropriate for the House's decorum.[37]
On October 8, 2025, Barzaga filed an impeachment complaint against PresidentBongbong Marcos for betrayal of public trust over the involvement of anomalies and corruption in flood control.[38][39] however, Speaker Dy said that this will likely not pass.[40] On October 12, 2025, Barzaga attended anti-Marcos and anti-corruption protests atPlaza Rajah Sulayman inManila and outsideDasmariñas andForbes Park (where houses of Speaker Romualdez and of former RepresentativeZaldy Co are located) villages inMakati, which he had called for.[41][42][43]
In November 2025, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed complaints of Inciting to Sedition and Inciting to Rebellion against Barzaga with theQuezon City Office of the Prosecutor. The charges stem from the violent incidents during theSeptember 21 rallies in Manila.[44][4]
On January 2, 2026, Barzaga urged the investigation of the death ofDueñas, Iloilo vice mayor Aimee Paz Lamasan and claimed her death was linked with theflood control scandal.[45]
On January 22, 2026, Barzaga filed counter-affidavits on two criminal cases.[46]
Barzaga's social media posts on Facebook his posts included about setting theBatasang Pambansa on fire, bringing airsoft guns to a protest, criticizing theDepartment of Justice,Department of Public Works and Highways,Jonvic Remulla, Martin Romualdez, Bongbong Marcos, displaying wealth, lewd content and degrading views on women.[47][48]
On October 13, 2025, Barzaga missed his own House ethics hearing, which was held hours after he had attended a late-night rally in Makati. He cited playing computer games that night as the reason for his absence.[49]
On December 1, 2025, Barzaga was suspended for 60 days due to reckless behavior from his posts on social media. The adoption of the ethics committee recommendation against Barzaga was voted in favor by 249 House of Representatives members, five voted against, and 11 abstained.[50][51]
In late December 2025, after the death of representativeRomeo Acop, Barzaga posted statements against him and claiming "he is in hell" and mockery.[52]
On January 14, 2026,Enrique K. Razon filed cyber libel complaints against Barzaga after the latter alleged on social media that Razon had bribed NUP members.[53] Barzaga later apologized to Razon for "confidential" personal issues, although the legal complaint continued.[54] On January 20, 2026,Ronaldo Puno filed cyber libel complaints against Barzaga,[55] followed by a similar complaint by congressmanRolan Valeriano the next day.[56]
On February 4, 2026, Barzaga was suspended for another 60 days.[57] The adoption of the ethics committee recommendation against Barzaga was voted in favor by 238 House of Representatives members, 10 voted against, and 9 abstained.[58]
Having pet cats himself,[8] Barzaga has animal welfare as one of his well-known platforms, calling himself as "Congressmeow" and using cat motifs for his campaign for the2025 election.[59][60] He also positioned himself as pro-posadog (stray cats and dogs).[61]
Barzaga advocates for veterinary services. He has implementedspay and neuter inDasmariñas, an initiative he hopes to be implemented at a nationwide scale.[61]
Inspired by SenatorBong Go'sMalasakit Centers, Barzaga supports providing medical assistance for cats and dogs and create a Malasakit Center for them.[62][63]
Barzaga proposed regulation forAI on aFacebook post and in another separate post he said that AI is a violation ofcopyright and believes it will damage the art industry. He also believes that full disclosure must be made on the usage of AI for political and commercial purposes.[64]
Barzaga has proposed the punishment ofdeath penalty for various crimes including mass murder, rape, habitual littering, and animal abuse.
He stated that "Penalties for small crimes like littering should gradually become more severe for repeat offenders.", if the offender reaches the 50th offense, they should getimprisoned and by the 100th offense, they should get thedeath penalty,[65] Barzaga later defended this proposal.[66]
Foranimal abusers he proposed the death penalty byfiring squad.[67] He also supports imposing the death penalty formass murderers andchild rapists, saying that keeping them alive in prison for decades is a waste of government resources.[68][69] He also indirectly suggested that rapists who are minors must be given the death penalty believing that since they committed the crime at a young age that they have "no future" in society.[70]
A member of a political dynasty himself, Barzaga believed that the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Bill will fail to pass because majority of Filipino politicians belong to such dynasties and would be unlikely to vote against their interests.[71]
Barzaga proposed absolutedivorce for violation through abuse, infidelity, and serious criminal acts through House Bill No. 4945 filed on September 30, 2025.[72]
Barzaga in October 2025 has calledMindanao tosecede from the Philippines amidst the 205 flood control project controversy alleging the Bongbong Marcos administration and Metro Manila-based politicians as corrupt.[73] He claimed that politicians from Metro Manila are at the forefront of the corruption scandal and that Mindanao is seen as "less important" thanLuzon.[74] In November 2025, he renewed calls of secessionism including theVisayas as well.[75]
Barzaga on October 28, 2025, called for the abolition of thePhilippine Coast Guard (PCG), labeling it a "waste of government funds" and a "corrupt organization" that grants auxiliary ranking positions to political figures. He also claimed the agency's operations in theSouth China Sea could "causeWorld War III". PCG spokesperson CommodoreJay Tarriela refuted the claims, citing those as misleading and unfounded.[76][77]
Barzaga proposed the abolition of the existing 12-percentvalue-added tax (VAT) on goods and services through House Bill No. 5119, which he filed on October 6, 2025. He argued that VAT is regressive, imposing a financial burden on ordinary consumers as it is applied universally regardless of their ability to pay. He plans to offset the lost VAT revenue by proposing measures for a revised taxation system.[78]
Barzaga is a self-admittednepo baby and member of apolitical dynasty. He claims that his political family is among the oldest inCavite.[79] Barzaga is also involved in sports, namelyboxing,taekwondo andArnis.[7]
Barzaga was enlisted into thePhilippine Army Reserve as aprivate in the National Capital Region Regional Community Defense Group (NCRRDG) on January 10, 2025.[80]
On September 21, 2025, theArmed Forces of the Philippines removed Barzaga from its reserve force for violating military regulations after he publicly called for military personnel to join anti-corruption protests.[81] Without evidence, he alleged that the AFP had₱15 billion worth of "ghost projects" in response to his delisting.[82]
| Year | Office | Party | Votes Barzaga received | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | % | P. | Swing | |||||
| 2019 | Councilor (Dasmariñas) | NUP | 158,957 | 4th | N/a | Won | ||
| 2022 | 212,781 | 7.97% | 1st | N/a | Won | |||
| 2025 | Representative (Cavite–4th) | 165,942 | 50.37% | 1st | N/a | Won | ||
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