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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
Reforms have thrust the country into the spotlight as it seeks to lure capital away from Vietnam, Malaysia and elsewhere.
The proposed US-led plan is another example of the authorities’ insincerity in addressing the concerns of affected communities, critics say.
Vietnam will be positioned as a logistics and distribution base aimed at growing demand for South Korean food products across the region.
Observers point to the high costs of owning an e-jeepney and a lack of government support in enabling the electric shift.
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The kingdom says kafala is gone, but advocates say employers still wield unchecked authority over domestic workers.
The president is asking for your bank details. He isn’t, of course. But the AI wearing his face is.
With Manila capturing just US$9 billion of the region’s US$244 billion capital influx last year, analysts urge reforms to close the FDI gap.
The country’s leap to upper-middle-income status means little to inflation-squeezed families struggling with debt and meagre wages.
Myanmar saw 4.5 million tourist arrivals at the peak in 2015, but the numbers have fallen sharply since the military coup in 2021.
Households and businesses are turning to solar to hedge against high power prices, unreliable supply and exposure to imported fuel shocks.
Hanoi is throwing cash and housing at its low birth rate, scrambling to protect an export boom that is fast running out of young workers.
A ‘historic’ wage increase was meant to ease hardship. Critics say it is already being swallowed up by soaring costs.
With zero enforcement powers, monitors risk being used to simply validate rival propaganda campaigns, analysts say.
There are signs that the 764 network is targeting vulnerable Filipino children online, Senator Risa Hontiveros says at a hearing.
While the Philippines and Canada are US allies, both are looking to expand partnerships with other middle-power countries, analysts say.
Filipinos wanting to end unwanted pregnancies have resorted to black-market alternatives that can result in life-threatening consequences.
Philippine ube exports reached over US$3 million in 2025, more than double the US$1.4 million figure recorded in 2024.
Manila wants Filipinos to explore their own backyard. But when Batanes costs twice as much as Taipei, it’s a tough sell.
The Tacloban attack has reignited a debate over youth radicalisation online, but experts warn blanket bans ignore the real issue.
The Philippines, however, attracted just 2.1 million of Southeast Asia’s 48.5 million tourist arrivals in the first four months of this year.
The tragedy has sparked concern among educators amid the rise of bullying in public schools and the lack of safety mechanisms on campus.
Critics say the bill does not address political power concentration in government or the conditions that allow dynasties to flourish.
While energy may be ‘a good opening’ for Russia to boost Asean ties, analysts say its relevance in the region is unlikely to grow.
A multimillion-dollar aviation deal at Clark highlights European economic investment as a tool of strategic power.
Only 28 per cent of Filipinos said they trusted news most of the time, according to a global survey.
Pacific Partnership 2026 aims to counter China’s rising influence in the region, amid growing doubts about US leadership, analysts say.
While the deal may ease some economic pressure on Asian governments, the ‘real test’ is whether it will hold, analysts say.
The tragedy shows how young players could be pushed into risky training situations as universities compete for prestige, sports experts say.
