- 2 days ago
What drives policymaking in today’s political climate?
On Beyond the Headlines, Kiko Barzaga joins us for a timely discussion on leadership, legislative priorities, and the pressing issues facing communities today.
From governance challenges to policy direction — we unpack the conversations that matter.
Tune in live and be part of the discussion.
On Beyond the Headlines, Kiko Barzaga joins us for a timely discussion on leadership, legislative priorities, and the pressing issues facing communities today.
From governance challenges to policy direction — we unpack the conversations that matter.
Tune in live and be part of the discussion.
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NewsTranscript
02:03So, Kong, what does it mean to be a Gen Z lawmaker in a very traditional institution such as the
02:11Congress?
02:15So, regarding of the traditional institution, any new generation that joins Congress would still be viewed as a traditional institution
02:26because the Philippines, after gaining independence and creating its own Congress, it is something that existed long before any of
02:36the current legislators there were born.
02:38So, right now, every time there's a new generation always just shifts what Congress would be.
02:46And it's not just something that we can observe here. It's something we can also observe in other countries where
02:51their governments are starting to change and accommodate the newer generations.
02:58So, for me, it's still the same. It's a new experience and it's something that I wish to change and
03:07improve.
03:08So, on a scale of 1 to 10 or 1 to meow, how typically busy is your day?
03:17Well, right now, right now around 3 or 4 because I'm suspended because I'm suspended again.
03:24But during the times when I was in Congress, it was usually very busy since I would be in the
03:29plenary, we would make things like privilege speeches, and then we would...
03:35It's mostly the big problem in Congress is the travel going there.
03:40Since I live in Dasma and it's in QC, or sometimes I stay from Makati, then I go to QC.
03:46So, outside of that, those are really the very busy days.
03:52But right now, mostly I'm focused in my district. I'm just staying here in Dasma, in Cavite, and it's suburb.
03:59There's plenty of free time for me to enjoy.
04:02And at least from the impression that we're getting, you love cats.
04:06So, why cats in particular, Kongtiko?
04:10Because they're cute and they meow.
04:13And how many cats do you have?
04:16Around 20.
04:18Around 20.
04:19So, among the 20 cats that you have, who is your most favorite?
04:25What's his or her name?
04:27That's a very hard question.
04:29That's actually one of the hardest questions because they're like your children.
04:32You can't just pick favorite children.
04:33Oh, okay.
04:34Okay.
04:37Assuming that one of your cats would give you a political advice,
04:44what would he or she would probably tell you?
04:50Probably, meow.
04:52I wouldn't really listen to my cats for advice.
04:54They're very crazy.
04:56They get into fights often and they're very active at night.
04:59So, I don't think they're a good source of political advice.
05:04So, your public image, Kongtiko, is bold and unconventional.
05:10But who is Iko when the cameras are off?
05:16I'm just a regular person.
05:18I don't really know how to answer that question because
05:22who you are is not something that you would say,
05:25but rather something that would be observed by the people around you.
05:30So, I don't believe I have the ability to answer that question
05:33of who I am outside of the public influence
05:37because that's to be decided by the people who see me in private.
05:41So, what you're saying actually, Kong, is who you are,
05:44whether the cameras are on or off, that's the same Kiko.
05:49Yes.
05:51I try to maintain myself in private the same way as I do in public
05:56because I don't want to have two separate personalities
05:58that I'm switching between the public persona and the private persona.
06:02I try to keep myself as one, as similar to how I present myself as possible.
06:13So, at least from our research, Kongtiko,
06:16your late father is Congressman P.D. Barzaga,
06:21and he is a Filipino lawyer and a seasoned politician.
06:24Your mother is Mayor Jenny Barzaga,
06:28who also served as mayor and congresswoman, no?
06:32And your brother, Third Barzaga,
06:35currently serves as a vice mayor of Dasmarinas Cabite.
06:38So, growing up in a political family,
06:41what's your normal dinner conversation like?
06:47Okay, well, for dinner conversations, we usually just...
06:51When I was younger, we kept politics out of it.
06:53Now that I'm older, it's practically all that we talk about.
06:56Since now, whenever we're eating dinner,
06:59as a family,
07:01me, my brother, and my mother are all in politics.
07:04And plenty of my friends, plenty of the people we eat with
07:06are also in politics because sometimes we also bring our staff.
07:09We also bring...
07:10My mom brings her assistant.
07:12My brother also brings his assistant.
07:15And yes, now it's...
07:18There are too many things to discuss,
07:20not just in local government, but in national government,
07:24that it's now all centered around politics.
07:26But back then, we just had casual conversations,
07:29especially when I was eating with my mother and my father.
07:31We were...
07:32We just tried to get politics out of it
07:34because they were busy from work
07:36and we were kids at that time.
07:38So in terms of intensity,
07:40which one is more intense?
07:42The conversation that you have about politics
07:45or the conversation that you have as a family?
07:50Well, the family conversations are always usually casual
07:53unless it's deciding like our future prospects
07:57or issues within the family,
07:59like some conflict involving distant family members,
08:04cousins or things of that sort.
08:08But usually, the political discussions are more heavy
08:13or heavier.
08:16And then from what we gathered,
08:18your dad graduated accountancy cum laude at San Beda
08:22and then law magna cum laude at Far Eastern University
08:26before becoming a lawyer
08:27and eventually a politician and a legal educator.
08:31What lesson did you learn from him
08:34that still guides you until today?
08:38Lesson?
08:39Well, it's not necessarily a lesson,
08:41but rather the way of life,
08:43how he prioritized politics
08:45and also the mistakes he made along the way
08:48during the time when he was still starting out
08:50as a congressman,
08:51as a mayor and as a congressman eventually.
08:55It's that my father had his own imperfections,
09:00but he was great legally
09:02and whenever he has a hearing
09:07or during the times when,
09:08during the Corona impeachment
09:10and the ABS-CBN franchise issue.
09:15But rather,
09:16the things I learned most from him
09:18is that,
09:20how would I word it?
09:22It's how to
09:25prioritize my
09:26work in the local
09:28rather than the national.
09:30Rather, my
09:31my service to the local.
09:33Because as district representatives,
09:35we must first prioritize
09:36the districts and the people
09:38who we represent.
09:42And who is more strict?
09:45No, your mom
09:45or your critics?
09:47Who's more strict?
09:51Well,
09:52yeah,
09:54neither of them are very strict.
09:55Everyone actually has their own political opinions
09:57and they want everyone
10:04to learn those opinions.
10:05And so they want to share those opinions
10:08and they all have their own belief
10:10in what the best
10:12the best policies
10:13for our country's future would be.
10:15And as for my mom,
10:16she also has her own
10:17personal things to deal with
10:19because I made plenty of enemies,
10:21especially in my anti-corruption
10:22anti-corruption campaign.
10:25So I think
10:26neither of them are actually
10:28more strict
10:28because everyone
10:29everyone ultimately
10:31at the end of the day
10:32has their own political opinions
10:33and their own decision
10:34on policies.
10:36And if you are not
10:38in politics,
10:40Conkiko,
10:41what would be
10:42your job today?
10:45I don't really know.
10:47Because politics
10:48itself was not something
10:50I originally envisioned
10:51myself doing.
10:52I'm more interested
10:55in
10:57probably
10:58in a field
10:59related to medicine
11:00or law
11:02if I was not
11:03in politics.
11:04What was that again,
11:06Conkiko?
11:06Sorry,
11:06I missed that.
11:08Probably in the
11:09medical field
11:09or law.
11:10medical field.
11:12Was there,
11:13because I know
11:14that you also
11:14grew up
11:15in a political environment,
11:16but was there
11:17a moment also
11:18in your life
11:19in which you thought
11:19I did not want
11:21to enter politics?
11:22did that thought
11:24also surface
11:25somewhere along
11:26the way?
11:29It's not that
11:30I did not want
11:30to enter.
11:31There are times
11:31when I would
11:32consider not
11:33staying in politics.
11:35But then
11:36at the same time,
11:38I would also,
11:38because right now
11:41with my financial
11:42situation,
11:43I don't necessarily
11:43have to be in politics.
11:45I can already
11:45retire
11:47and not have
11:48to worry too much.
11:49The problem
11:51is that,
11:52well,
11:53it's not necessarily
11:53a problem,
11:54it's just me
11:54considering whether
11:55or not I would
11:55stay in politics
11:57because there's
11:58so much corruption
11:59going on
11:59and I do not
12:01want to
12:02participate
12:02or be complicit
12:03in said corruption
12:04happening within
12:05our country.
12:07Well,
12:07I can only
12:08imagine
12:09the challenge
12:10that a person
12:11would face
12:12in an environment
12:14like that.
12:15So,
12:15my next question
12:16has something
12:17to do with
12:18maybe one of our
12:19viewers would be
12:20interested to know
12:21because we all
12:22have our game
12:23moments but we
12:24also have our
12:26not so game
12:26moments.
12:27So,
12:28who sees you
12:29in this moment
12:31in which you are
12:32not necessarily
12:33strong?
12:37No one.
12:39Not necessarily
12:40strong.
12:42But the problem
12:43here is that
12:44if you
12:46allow yourself
12:47to be weak
12:48even for a moment
12:49then you start
12:50justifying that
12:51weakness or that
12:52time of emotional
12:53vulnerability
12:54and then you
12:56will further
12:57you will cause
12:58it to grow
12:59further.
13:00So,
13:00for me,
13:01I do not allow
13:01myself to not
13:02be
13:04in control
13:05of my emotions
13:06or of my
13:06thoughts.
13:08So,
13:09no one,
13:09not even myself
13:10would see a
13:11moment of weakness
13:11from me because
13:12if I were to
13:13allow a moment
13:13of weakness
13:14then that
13:15weakness will
13:16continue to
13:16grow.
13:18And because
13:19you are also
13:20in the spotlight
13:21and you have
13:21a distinct
13:22voice,
13:24what's the
13:25hardest
13:28criticism
13:28that you've
13:29had to sit
13:30privately?
13:33hard
13:34is
13:34criticism.
13:36It's not,
13:38there's no
13:38actual criticism
13:39that's hard
13:40because it's
13:40all,
13:42ultimately,
13:42at the end
13:42of the day,
13:43it's all
13:43everyone's
13:43perspectives
13:45of what
13:45they view
13:46you as a
13:46person,
13:47what they view
13:47about your
13:48policies.
13:49So,
13:50that's like
13:51getting mad
13:51at someone
13:52for having
13:52an opinion
13:53on what
13:55they believe
13:56the government
13:56should be
13:57and as
13:57a democratic
13:57country,
13:58it's ultimately
13:59pointless to
14:02consider it
14:02personally because
14:03as a public
14:04figure,
14:04none of this
14:05is personal.
14:05Everyone wants
14:06what's best
14:07for the country
14:07and a lot
14:09of Filipinos
14:10want what's
14:10best for the
14:10country and
14:11if they don't
14:12believe that I'm
14:13what's best for
14:14the country,
14:14even though I
14:16believe that
14:16some of my
14:17policies are
14:18the right path
14:19into fixing
14:20the corruption
14:21and the issues
14:23we face in
14:25the country
14:25right now,
14:26then that's
14:26a very valid
14:27opinion.
14:28If they
14:28criticize me
14:29for that,
14:30if they
14:30criticize me
14:31because they
14:32do not
14:32believe in
14:32my policies
14:33and in
14:34my beliefs,
14:35then that's
14:36not necessarily
14:37something that
14:38I would take
14:38personally.
14:41Have you
14:42regretted saying
14:43something in
14:44public,
14:45as a public
14:46figure?
14:49Well,
14:49ultimately,
14:50regretting is
14:51inconsequential
14:52because whether
14:53or not you
14:54regret something,
14:55you're still
14:56going to have
14:58to deal with
14:59whatever it is
15:00that you've
15:00stated.
15:01So, no,
15:02no regrets.
15:03We just keep
15:04going no matter
15:05what we have
15:06said or what
15:07we will say.
15:09And the good
15:10thing about now
15:11is because the
15:12younger generation
15:13is more
15:16outspoken,
15:16and so they're
15:17putting their
15:17voice out there.
15:19But there are
15:20also those who
15:20are reluctant
15:21and they
15:22have trouble
15:23drawing the
15:24line between
15:25being fearless
15:26and being
15:27reckless.
15:29So, what's
15:30your advice
15:31to them?
15:33It's very
15:34hard to give
15:35advice to
15:35people that
15:36you don't
15:37necessarily know
15:38what their
15:38situation is
15:39because some
15:40of these
15:40people,
15:40they cannot
15:42afford to be
15:43reckless or
15:43fearless in
15:44the same way
15:45that I am
15:45because of
15:46either financial
15:46insecurity or
15:48familial ties,
15:49plenty of
15:50problems within
15:51their own
15:52households.
15:54So, as
15:54for everyone,
15:55I just want
15:56them to just
15:58live the best
15:59life that they
15:59can and do
16:00what they
16:00believe is
16:01right.
16:01And if doing
16:02the right thing
16:03is impossible
16:04for them at the
16:05current moment,
16:05then just try to
16:06be a good
16:07person.
16:07And when the
16:08time comes,
16:09they can make
16:09the right
16:10decision,
16:10then do
16:11so.
16:12And what
16:13has controversy
16:14taught you
16:16about leadership?
16:20It's that
16:20leadership is
16:21ultimately always
16:23challenged and
16:24always something
16:25that is
16:27unstable,
16:28always something
16:29that will bring
16:29controversy.
16:30There are always
16:31people,
16:32especially when
16:33you're in a
16:34national position
16:35that would want
16:36to bring you
16:36down and that's
16:38just part of it.
16:40And earlier
16:42in the
16:42introduction,
16:43at least we
16:43are able to
16:44give the
16:45context that
16:46in one way
16:46or another,
16:47you do have
16:49a political
16:50dynasty roots.
16:51So, how do
16:53you reconcile
16:53that perception
16:55or impression
16:56with being
16:57a change
16:58agent?
17:01What do you
17:02mean by a
17:02change agent?
17:03Well, we
17:04want, I mean,
17:05from my impression
17:06of what you are
17:07trying to do is
17:07you're also
17:08giving a newer
17:09voice, a
17:10fresher voice
17:11in law
17:12making?
17:15Yeah.
17:17Regarding
17:17political
17:17dynasties,
17:18it's also a
17:19very hard
17:19thing to
17:19legislate
17:20because
17:21practically
17:21almost everyone
17:23in our
17:24political system
17:26is part of
17:26a political
17:27dynasty.
17:29So,
17:29statistically
17:30speaking,
17:30me being
17:31part of a
17:31political
17:31dynasty is
17:33likely,
17:34since almost
17:35all of
17:35Congress is
17:35part of a
17:36political
17:36dynasty right
17:37now.
17:38And
17:39regarding
17:40that,
17:40yes,
17:41it's
17:41something that
17:42we must
17:42acknowledge
17:43and something
17:43that we
17:44must consider
17:46first because
17:46we just keep
17:47saying we're
17:47not a political
17:48dynasty or
17:49we change the
17:50definition of
17:51political dynasty
17:52so that it will
17:52apply to our
17:53opponents but not
17:54us, then that's
17:55ultimately a form
17:56of hypocrisy.
18:00It's just
18:01false idealism
18:02if you would
18:02make very
18:03strict definitions
18:04of political
18:05dynasty, one
18:05where your
18:06family is not
18:07involved in.
18:07So, if
18:08people were to
18:09say that I'm
18:09part of a
18:10political dynasty,
18:10I just accept
18:11it since I
18:12am part of
18:12a family that
18:13is in
18:13politics.
18:17And being
18:18part of a
18:19family that's
18:21in politics,
18:22how do you
18:23protect your
18:24personal
18:24relationships from
18:26political tension?
18:28No, you
18:29don't.
18:30That's part of
18:31the job.
18:31You don't
18:32protect your
18:33person.
18:35The same
18:36way if you're
18:38a policeman
18:38or a
18:43member of the
18:43military that's
18:44part of a
18:45large-scale
18:46operation or
18:48you catch
18:50a high-profile
18:51person, how
18:52would you
18:52protect yourself
18:53and your
18:53family from
18:54the ramifications
18:55of that action
18:56and from the
18:56potential backlash?
18:58You don't.
18:58It's part of
18:58the job and
19:00it's something
19:00that you have
19:02to consider
19:02yourself.
19:05So, these
19:06things, you
19:09can't, that's
19:10the hard part
19:11about campaigning
19:13against corruption
19:13is that there are
19:14plenty of people
19:15who are corrupt
19:15who would very
19:16much like to
19:18see the
19:18corruption
19:18continue.
19:21And that's
19:22also one of the
19:23reasons why
19:23very few people
19:24will actually
19:25fight against
19:26corruption because
19:26it would put
19:28not only you
19:28but your
19:29family in
19:29danger as
19:30well.
19:30That's also
19:31exactly what we
19:32see in, for
19:33example, law
19:34enforcement.
19:34Whenever you
19:35catch a high
19:35profile, if
19:38you're a police
19:39asset or you
19:39catch a high
19:40profile criminal,
19:42you have to
19:43start considering
19:43the safety of
19:44your family and
19:46not only of
19:46yourself.
19:47So, that's
19:48just part of
19:49the job.
19:49It's part of,
19:50in order to
19:51create good, you
19:52must be willing
19:52to fight evil
19:53and evil does
19:55not play by the
19:56same rules as
19:56good people do.
19:59So, if I'm
20:00correct, Kong Kiko,
20:01what you're trying
20:02to say is you
20:02don't believe in
20:05compartmentalizing
20:06life, which is
20:07also the same
20:08as integrity.
20:11A person is
20:13an honest
20:14person on
20:15come, off
20:15come, or at
20:16work, or
20:17even in their
20:18personal lives.
20:19Yes.
20:21And I know
20:23that you have
20:23covered this a
20:24little bit in
20:25the part, but
20:26because you are
20:27a public figure
20:28and I know
20:29that we also
20:30have viewers
20:31who may have
20:32been entertaining
20:33also the
20:34possibility of
20:35them to run
20:36for office and
20:37become a
20:38public figure
20:40like yourself,
20:41but how do
20:42you protect
20:43your personal
20:44space?
20:46and also
20:47that of
20:49your public
20:50space?
20:51Or do you
20:52ever even
20:53draw the
20:53line?
20:54No, I
20:54don't draw
20:55the line.
20:55Personal, public,
20:56it's all the
20:57same because
20:59it's something
21:00that you are
21:01already.
21:01It's not just
21:02a profession at
21:03this point when
21:04your decisions
21:06and your
21:07policies, your
21:07proposed policies
21:08end up affecting
21:09the lives of
21:09millions of
21:10people.
21:10you cannot
21:10say, once
21:12I get home,
21:12I'm just a
21:13normal citizen
21:13again, or
21:14you can't
21:15say, I
21:16deserve some
21:16peace and
21:17quiet afterwards.
21:18No, because
21:19every decision
21:20that you make
21:20is something
21:22that could
21:23kill or
21:24save thousands
21:26and something
21:27that could
21:27affect the
21:28work, the
21:30financial situation
21:31of millions
21:31of people.
21:34So, it's
21:35not really
21:36something that
21:37you can just
21:37turn on and
21:38off.
21:38It's something
21:38that's already
21:41part of you
21:42when you reach
21:42a level of
21:43national politics
21:44as I have.
21:45It's not
21:46really, yeah,
21:49that's all I
21:50have to say.
21:50It's not,
21:51there's no
21:52longer a line
21:53between personal
21:54and public.
21:56Yeah.
21:57If there's,
21:58at least if
21:59there's anything
22:00that you are
22:01scared, no?
22:02Which scares
22:03you the most?
22:04Failing publicly
22:06or disappointing
22:08the people
22:08who are
22:09closest to
22:10you?
22:12Failing publicly
22:13or disappointing
22:14the people?
22:16What do you
22:17mean by
22:17failing publicly?
22:19Meaning making
22:20a serious
22:21mistake, no?
22:22In terms of
22:23the decision
22:24or the
22:25legislation
22:26that you
22:27previously
22:28advanced, no?
22:29That or
22:30disappointing the
22:31people who
22:32are closest
22:33to you?
22:38Well,
22:38failing publicly
22:39would be worse
22:40because it
22:40would be out
22:40of my control.
22:41If I were to
22:42disappoint people
22:44and it is
22:44within my
22:45control and
22:45I've chosen
22:46that, then
22:47that's not
22:47necessarily
22:48something that
22:48I would be
22:49afraid of.
22:49But, yeah,
22:51failing due to
22:51something that
22:53I did not
22:53consider, that
22:54I was not
22:55able to
22:55anticipate is
22:57more terrifying
22:58than the other.
22:59Yeah, because
23:00the consequences
23:02they're also
23:03more grave.
23:04Is that what
23:04you're saying,
23:05Kong Kiko?
23:06It's also
23:07something that
23:07you would
23:08not be
23:09prepared for.
23:10It's not
23:10like disappointing
23:11people where
23:12the choice
23:13ultimately would
23:14have to be
23:15yours.
23:17Among the
23:18things that
23:19a lot of
23:19people like
23:20me, no,
23:21admire in
23:22you is
23:22because you
23:23really say
23:24what you
23:25mean, no?
23:26And you
23:26mean what
23:27you say.
23:28But if
23:29there's any
23:31hope that
23:33people understand
23:35about you
23:36before they
23:37judge you,
23:38what would
23:38that be?
23:43What I would
23:44like them to
23:45know is that
23:45ultimately, I
23:51still want
23:52and I do
23:54what I
23:54believe would
23:56be the best
23:56for our
23:56country.
23:57And they
23:57might also
23:59be doing
23:59the same
24:00under the
24:00exact same
24:01opposite
24:01beliefs.
24:02But that's
24:03just what we
24:04do.
24:04I'm just
24:04doing what
24:05a private
24:05citizen would
24:06do, but
24:06in a public
24:08setting, in
24:09a public
24:10national post.
24:12If a
24:13normal person
24:13were to be
24:14given the
24:14opportunity to
24:15speak up
24:16against
24:17corruption, and
24:17they do so,
24:18that's the
24:19exact same
24:19thing that I'm
24:20doing.
24:21What I have
24:22seen, I go
24:24against the
24:24evils that I
24:25have seen.
24:27I know
24:28that you've
24:29mentioned
24:29earlier about
24:30the difference
24:31in terms of
24:32the circumstance
24:33that young
24:34people face
24:35today, some
24:36of them
24:36compared to
24:37the circumstance
24:37that you
24:38were in, or
24:39the context
24:40that they are
24:41in compared to
24:42the context
24:42that you are
24:43in.
24:44But on a
24:44general sense,
24:46if there's
24:47somebody or
24:48someone who
24:49are watching
24:50who wants to
24:51speak up, not
24:51necessarily about
24:52corruption, but
24:53just to speak
24:54their minds,
24:55but are
24:56afraid to
24:57do so, what
24:58would be the
24:58hacks that you
25:00would want to
25:00share to
25:01them?
25:04Do it.
25:06Because
25:06ultimately, it's
25:07either you do
25:08it now, you
25:09do it at some
25:11other point in
25:11time in the
25:12future, or you
25:12never do it at
25:13all.
25:14And when people
25:15decide that they're
25:16not ready to do
25:16it yet, some
25:19of the people
25:19not consider that
25:20their situation
25:21may never change
25:22if they do
25:22not choose to
25:23speak up.
25:25So if they
25:27don't see a
25:27change in the
25:28situation that
25:29would cause
25:30them to do it
25:30in the future,
25:31then don't do
25:31it at all.
25:31But if it
25:33will not change
25:34in the future
25:34and they
25:36cannot continue
25:36with it now,
25:37then it's
25:38better to speak
25:39against what
25:39they see is
25:40wrong.
25:42I'm actually
25:42down to my
25:43last two
25:44questions,
25:45Kong Kiko.
25:45But before we
25:47end this
25:47conversation,
25:48what keeps you
25:49hopeful about
25:50the Philippines?
25:53the next
25:54election.
25:55It's already
25:57too late,
25:58right?
25:59Yeah, in
26:00two years.
26:02But right
26:03now for the
26:03current
26:04administration,
26:04it's already
26:05in the last
26:08two years.
26:08It's already
26:09filing of
26:09candidacy
26:13by around
26:14a year and
26:14six months,
26:15a year and
26:15seven months.
26:18So yeah,
26:19there's really
26:20no expectations
26:21now from
26:23the current
26:24politics that
26:24we have.
26:25So we're
26:25just hoping
26:26for the
26:272028 elections
26:28that we can
26:28have a better
26:29government.
26:31And
26:32cliche as
26:33this question
26:33may sound,
26:34but I just
26:34really have to
26:35ask you this,
26:36what kind of
26:37Philippines do
26:38do you wish
26:39the young
26:40generation
26:40should inherit?
26:45What I wish
26:46or what they
26:47will inherit?
26:48What do you
26:49want them to
26:49inherit?
26:51Well,
26:51ideally,
26:51I want them
26:52to inherit
26:53a very
26:55politically and
26:57economically stable
26:58Philippines,
26:58especially in
26:59terms of the
27:00tensions,
27:01the diplomatic
27:01tensions that
27:02we face with
27:03China.
27:04I don't want
27:05them to
27:05inherit a
27:06much more
27:09difficult situation
27:10than we have
27:10now.
27:12And the
27:13economic situation
27:14as well,
27:14I don't want
27:15them to
27:15inherit this
27:15type of
27:16economy,
27:16the increased
27:22jobless rate,
27:24the increased
27:24rate of
27:25unemployment
27:25that we
27:25have,
27:27the problems
27:28that we
27:28have with
27:29law enforcement,
27:30crimes,
27:31teenage pregnancies,
27:31there are so
27:32many issues
27:32right now that
27:33I do not want
27:33them to
27:34inherit.
27:34But that's
27:35also too
27:36idealistic to
27:37say since
27:38these things,
27:39especially economic
27:40situations,
27:41take years,
27:42even decades,
27:43to fix.
27:44And if we
27:45look at
27:46other countries
27:47like Singapore
27:48and China,
27:49it took them
27:50multiple decades
27:51in order to
27:51reach the
27:52level that
27:53they have
27:53now.
27:54In fact,
27:55Singapore,
27:55just a few
27:56decades ago,
27:58was actually
27:59much poorer
27:59than the
27:59Philippines,
28:00but now
28:00they're very
28:01wealthy due
28:01to proper
28:03governance,
28:03proper
28:04leadership.
28:05And China
28:05itself was
28:06also poor
28:07a few decades
28:08ago,
28:08well,
28:09after World
28:10War II,
28:11but they
28:12managed to
28:12become the
28:13world's
28:14strongest
28:14economy now.
28:15So it
28:16generally
28:16takes
28:17especially
28:18for a
28:19country
28:19that is
28:20riddled
28:20with
28:20corruption
28:21and
28:22instability,
28:23economic
28:24issues.
28:25It takes
28:25very radical
28:26reforms in
28:27order to
28:27change those
28:28things.
28:30So thank
28:31you very
28:32much for
28:32your time,
28:33Congressman
28:34Kiko,
28:35and thank
28:35you also
28:35for joining
28:36us today,
28:37for sitting
28:38down with
28:38us,
28:39and for
28:39the stories
28:40that you
28:40are actually
28:41sharing,
28:42on or
28:42off-come.
28:43And I
28:43love the
28:44part that
28:44you would
28:45always say,
28:45whoever you
28:46are,
28:47on-come or
28:47off-come,
28:48that's the
28:48same Congressman
28:49Kiko that
28:49we all
28:50know.
28:52Yeah,
28:53so it's
28:53always refreshing
28:54to see the
28:55person behind
28:56the position,
28:57and today we
28:58definitely got
28:59that.
29:00Congressman
29:01Kiko Barzaga is
29:02representing not
29:03just Kavite's
29:04fourth district,
29:05but also a
29:06younger generation
29:08finding its
29:09voice inside
29:10one of the
29:10country's oldest
29:12institutions.
29:13In a world of
29:14quick pose and
29:15quicker judgment,
29:17it's good to
29:18slow down and
29:19listen beyond
29:20the headlines.
29:22I'm DJ
29:22Moises, and
29:23this has been
29:24Beyond the
29:24Headlines.
29:25See you next
29:25time.
29:26Have a good
29:27afternoon.
29:43Have a good
29:46time.
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