
Seat of Power: Political leadership | With Pia Ranada
By Rappler
A podcast on the Philippine presidency and its impact on Filipinos hosted by Rappler Malacañang reporter Pia Ranada.
Where to listen

Episode 31: Duterte readies ammo for 2022 campaign season
In this episode, Rappler reporter Pia Ranada speaks to political science professor Aries Arugay about the ammo Duterte is readying against the people who seek to replace him in 2022, what this means for the candidates themselves, and what it says about the sitting president's role in the upcoming elections.
Support fearless and independent journalism, visit https://rplr.co/supportRappler to donate to Rappler.
40:01
January 27, 2022

Episode 30: Sara-less, Go-less Duterte prepares to play hedging game in 2022
For all his survey popularity and all the clout that comes with being the most powerful man in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte is so far without an annointed successor, after his own daughter Sara Duterte and longtime aide Senator Bong Go decided not to run for president.
In this episode, Rappler's Pia Ranada tries to piece together the events that led to this unlikely scenario and what it means for the 2022 elections.
Support fearless and independent journalism, visit https://rplr.co/supportRappler to donate to Rappler.
09:32
November 30, 2021

Episode 29: Duterte's 'unconstitutional' memo
President Rodrigo Duterte has had many tussles with the Senate, but his October 4 memo, according to senators, has brought the stand-off to another level.
It's an escalation of Duterte's allergy to a critical Senate. This Seat of Power podcast episode dives deeper into the memo and what it says about Duterte's leadership style.
Support fearless and independent journalism, visit https://rplr.co/supportRappler to donate to Rappler.
06:34
October 16, 2021

Episode 28: Who is Michael Yang?
Rappler reporter Pia Ranada guides you through the twist and turns in the tale of President Duterte's controversial former adviser.
11:44
September 16, 2021

Episode 27: Who is editing out key parts of Duterte speeches?
Someone close to the President has a lot of control over which of his remarks the public gets to hear. Who is behind these video edits? Why are they tampering with the President's speeches and do they have the permission of Duterte himself, notorious for being allergic to efforts to control his mouth? Rappler's Pia Ranada tries to answer that question in this episode.
Support fearless and independent journalism, visit https://rplr.co/supportRappler to donate to Rappler.
10:59
August 27, 2021

Episode 26: Jess Dureza on how Duterte leads the Cabinet
In this episode, Pia Ranada speaks to a former Cabinet member and longtime friend of Duterte's, Jesus Dureza, for insights on the President's leadership and governance style.
33:38
July 30, 2021

Episode 25: What will Sara Duterte decide?
Rappler reporter Pia Ranada speaks to Hugpong ng Pagbabago secretary-general Anthony del Rosario about how Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte is deciding on her 2022 plans.
15:04
July 12, 2021

Episode 24: Duterte supporter on why President still popular on last year
Negros Oriental businessman Kenneth Lucio shares eye-opening insights into why many Filipinos still believe in Duterte, despite the economic sluggishness, COVID-19 pandemic, myriad of controversial remarks, bloody drug war, and pandering to China that have earned the President the fiercest criticism.
35:17
July 03, 2021

Episode 23: 2022 political moves start now
In this episode of the Seat of Power podcast, Malacañang reporter Pia Ranada takes you through developments in the 2022 political landscape and what they mean for Filipino voters.
13:27
June 11, 2021

Episode 22: Rodolfo Biazon on what Duterte should keep to himself
In this episode of Seat of Power, Rappler reporter Pia Ranada asks former senator and military chief Rodolfo Biazon about what the impact of President Rodrigo Duterte's contradictory or vague utterances on security policies could be.
29:01
May 25, 2021

Episode 21: A conversation with Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade
NTF-ELCAC spokesman LtGen Antonio Parlade thinks he's being vilified for trying to protect the country from communists and their propaganda. Rappler reporter Pia Ranada asks him about the origins of NTF-ELCAC and the controversies it's found itself in.
52:03
May 10, 2021

Episode 20: Duterte, despite bluster, makes big climate pledge
How did President Duterte go from threatening to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement to making an even bigger contribution to it than his predecessor?
34:03
April 24, 2021

Episode 19: What's Duterte's actual role in pandemic response?
The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and President Rodrigo Duterte are two major moving parts of the Philippine government's coronavirus response. Listen to Rappler reporter Pia Ranada explain how the IATF works and where Duterte really comes in.
17:30
April 06, 2021

Episode 18: Is Duterte responsible for Bloody Sunday?
Rappler reporter Pia Ranada goes back to Duterte's threats orders against communists and activists, and if there's one thing certain about the President, it's that he'll make good on violent threats.
10:50
March 16, 2021

Episode 17: Duterte's VFA threats: Negotiating tactic or rash outburst?
Rappler reporter Pia Ranada does a deep dive into President Rodrigo Duterte's possible motivations for issuing such threats with political analyst Herman Kraft, chairman of the University of the Philippines' political science department.
52:29
February 19, 2021

Episode 16: China's new Coast Guard law and Duterte
China's new law allowing its Coast Guard to attack anyone in waters it claims is a challenge to President Rodrigo Duterte and the world. Retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio tells Rappler reporter Pia Ranada what steps Duterte can take and what's at stake if leaders don't act.
38:29
January 29, 2021

Episode 15: Unpacking the PSG vaccine mystery
Why is President Duterte determined to keep this controversy under wraps? Is he protecting his security aides or someone else?
12:05
January 09, 2021

Episode 14: Tarlac shooting – Blood on Duterte’s hands
From President Duterte’s mouth to cop Jonel Nuezca’s gun, a culture of impunity ends in blood-soaked corpses. In this episode of the Seat of Power podcast, let's recall Duterte's public statements about killing and encouraging violence as a way to address society's ills.
09:17
December 24, 2020

Episode 13: Covering a President who lies
Our guest is veteran journalist Christian Esguerra who talks about how the media should cover President Duterte's speeches in the age of social media and amplified propaganda.
42:28
November 27, 2020

Episode 12: ‘Corruption crackdown’ by a master of spectacle
Call it drama, call it a messaging tool, President Duterte is again resorting to performance to show Filipinos he's in charge and living up to his promise
09:51
November 13, 2020

Episode 11: 4 Reasons why Duterte’s survey ratings are still high
In this episode of Seat of Power, reporter Pia Ranada compiles what experts have been saying all week about the President Rodrigo Duterte's sky-high Pulse Asia survey results
12:41
October 10, 2020

Episode 10: Duterte's role in the Cayetano-Velasco speakership tussle
Is President Duterte the puppeteer who holds the strings or was he truly a mere observer of Speaker Cayetano's political moves?
29:06
October 03, 2020

Episode 9: Duterte’s vaccine dreams vs. reality
Vaccine experts Jaime Montoya and Melvin Sanicas provide a reality check to President Duterte's expectations on COVID-19 vaccines
12:39
September 26, 2020

Episode 8: Duterte's secretive Malacañang
Malacañang has stopped posting government appointments, airing President Duterte's speeches live, and telling reporters about his daily schedules. Are they hiding something?
09:37
September 05, 2020

Episode 7: Pandemic Leadership – Duterte vs Leni
In recent weeks, Vice President Leni Robredo has aired her own speeches about the coronavirus pandemic, providing a stark contrast to President Rodrigo Duterte's crisis messaging and crisis leadership
21:24
August 29, 2020

Episode 6: Duterte, Trump, Bolsonaro: The ‘medical populists’
Malacañang reporter Pia Ranada talks to physician and medical anthropologist Gideon Lasco about "medical populism" – a political style that uses division and over-simplification of complex problems during a health crises.
25:19
August 15, 2020

Episode 5: What happens if Duterte gets COVID-19?
How likely is it that the President gets infected with coronavirus? Rappler’s Pia Ranada talks to lawyer Tony La Viña about possible scenarios based on laws governing the President’s health.
15:55
August 07, 2020

Episode 4: Duterte's 2020 SONA in 5 minutes
No time to listen to the nearly two-hour speech? Rappler reporter Pia Ranada summarizes it for you in 5 minutes.
05:15
July 28, 2020

Episode 3: The frightening future of Duterte's anti-terror law
Rappler's Malacañang reporter Pia Ranada talks to Karen Gomez-Dumpit, a commissioner at the Commission on Human Rights, about who are vulnerable should the anti-terrow law be abused.
17:56
July 22, 2020

Episode 2: Duterte's hands all over ABS-CBN franchise rejection
In this episode, Rappler's Pia Ranada speaks to veteran journalist John Nery about how the fate of ABS-CBN fits into President Rodrigo Duterte's broader attack on press freedom.
29:34
July 14, 2020

Episode 1: COVID-19 ward doctor assesses Duterte’s pandemic response
In the first episode of Seat of Power, Rappler’s new political podcast, reporter Pia Ranada interviews a COVID-19 medical frontliner about his thoughts on how President Rodrigo Duterte handled the coronavirus crisis.
27:45
July 03, 2020