Show & Share: Profile Piece

By Devyn Mode

“Becoming Duterte: The Making of a Philippine Strongman” was written by Richard C. Paddock, a New York Times reported based in Bangkok. It is about Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.

While the piece is long and about a topic I was not familiar with, it’s well-written and has intriguing visuals. I also love anything political and scandalous.

I found this piece after Google searching “washington post profile piece,” and finding an article responding to Paddock’s depiction of the president of the Philippines. The story provides interesting and compelling details of Duterte’s life before and after becoming the president of the Philippines. The writer attributed the facts about his childhood, and while critical of Duterte, doesn’t deny him complexity.

The story is long, but the pacing and content make it a captivating piece. There are also amazing photographs accompanying the it. I like the number and variety of sources. I also like the political topic and profile pieces in general.