MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte rose to power on the back of the masa’s support. Sure, support for him among the middle class has been increasing, but there’s no doubt the poor remain his power base.
Some political observers are puzzled why he remains popular despite his controversial policies and unfulfilled policies that affect the poor. Some – like Dr. Wataru Kusaka of the Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University – have theories on why.
Kusaka has immersed himself in communities in the Visayas and in slums of Manila to understand the politics of the poor.
Rappler speaks with him about “moral politics” in the Philippines, a topic on which he has written a book, as well as his current work on marginalized sectors in the country.
Watch Rappler Talk at 6 pm on Friday, September 29. – Rappler.com
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