From Grassroots to Government: A Study of Recent Green Party Building in the Philippines

Abstract

This article explores the history, ideology and political strategy of the Partido Kalikasan (PK, Nature Party), a grassroots-based green party in the Philippines. The PK was established in 2003 but its development is constrained by the lack of resources and strategic differences internal to the party and by the distinct history and setting of civil society and politics in the archipelago. Yet, the mere presence of an emerging green party in a relatively poor country like the Philippines puts into question the postmaterialist thesis of Ronald Inglehart. It seems that the environment is more than a “quality of life” issue, especially in a country where vast sections of the population still struggle to meet their basic needs.