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Sam Beltran
SCMP Contributor
Sam Beltran is a journalist based in Manila who has written for publications in the Philippines and around Asia. Her stories explore food, lifestyle scenes, popular trends, and sub-cultures as windows into society and the human condition.
Sam Beltran is a journalist based in Manila who has written for publications in the Philippines and around Asia. Her stories explore food, lifestyle scenes, popular trends, and sub-cultures as windows into society and the human condition.
Languages Spoken:
English
Southeast Asia’s first law on AI could raise the bar from voluntary guidelines to binding legal frameworks across the region, analysts say.
The hashtag went viral following a row over a South Korean band’s concert in Kuala Lumpur in January and protests in Indonesia last year.
Analysts say lawmaker Angel Suntay’s comments have become an ‘effective distraction’ against the vice-president’s impeachment proceedings.
The US Justice Department has released emails showing the sex offender might have recruited a ‘Philippine team’ to boost his reputation.
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Advocates hailed the ruling as a breakthrough, though observers said its reach remains limited without congressional action.
A global index on corruption perceptions shows the Philippines posting its lowest ranking since 2012.
Analysts say the vice-president’s timing aims to deter defections and harden political lines ahead of a prolonged contest.
Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Christopher Go named as alleged ‘co-perpetrators’ in the former president’s crimes against humanity case.
The US$30 billion outsourcing sector is fighting to adapt, leaving millions of workers with a stark choice: upskill or be left behind.
Filipino leaders from Kalayaan and Chinese embassy officials in Manila have clashed over entry bans for personnel on either side.
Evangelista’s husband, ex-senate president Francis Escudero, is accused of receiving US$2.7 million in kickbacks from flood control projects.
Retired justice says updating the Foreign Agents Act will help deter individuals from espousing pro-Beijing content.
Policy uncertainty and the Philippines’ lack of competitiveness in key areas have reinforced investor unease, observers say.
The bloc’s foreign ministers meet in Cebu amid concerns that diplomacy could slide into tacit acceptance of military rule.
While Asean members such as Malaysia and Vietnam have shown strong post-pandemic growth, tourist numbers have lagged in the Philippines.
Its ‘historic’ US$23 billion education budget might not be enough to close long-standing gaps, experts say.
With gas supply at a current well set to run out by 2027, potential new sources could help avert an energy crisis in Luzon.
The Philippines should push the fight against deepfakes high on the Asean agenda as the bloc’s chair, analysts say.
The move reflects an ‘America first’ policy approach and treats certain allies in the region as ‘strategically insignificant’, analysts say.
The fatal collapse of a garbage landfill in Cebu has also exposed lax enforcement and poor waste management.
Washington is looking to reposition itself as the main peacemaker in Southeast Asia following Beijing’s mediation successes, analysts say.
Critics say the visit may be viewed as the bloc’s new chair endorsing a controversial junta-led election in Myanmar.
Christina Frasco’s cover appearance has drawn accusations from critics that self-promotion is being prioritised over strategy and results.
Doctors have hit back, saying that they are being unfairly blamed for deeper systemic failures in healthcare financing.
Given Asean’s policy of non-interference, the Philippines may be better off leaving peace negotiations to the US and China, experts say.
The US$27.7 million contract covers combat management systems for two next-generation Philippine Navy frigates.
The proposal, which requires visa-exempt visitors to provide five years of social media history, comes amid moves to toughen US borders.
Analysts said the exits risk deepening public scepticism over whether politically connected contractors can be held to account.
Analysts said the death removes a pivotal witness and exposes weaknesses in how authorities have handled evidence and testimony.
