Sam Beltran

Sometimes appears on the websites you read. Where politics and culture intersect

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

Fitting that the story came out just as the US and Iran announced a peace deal after over three months of fighting. Whether the pact sticks or otherwise, the effects of this conflict will continue to be felt by folks like Romeo — the reversal of its impact a distant reality.

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

For @ChathamHouse's @TheWorldToday, I provided a snapshot of the energy crisis unfolding in the Philippines through the lived realities of the people furthest from the geopolitical decisions made in the halls inhabited by world leaders.
https://t.co/fVONVsiZbx

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

As farmer Romeo Wagayan from Benguet in northern Philippines told me, "They just tell us it's because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. That's all we know and understand. But it's the small people like us who are always caught in the middle."

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

Already sent tickets to your Help Center but this is becoming inefficient and unhelpful

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

Hey @gcashofficial, two of my transactions are now FLOATING in your system since yesterday: First was a cash-in from BPI yesterday that went through on BPI’s end but never showed up in my GCash account. Second is a GCash transfer from my brother that, again, did not show up.

[AFP Fact Check 🔎 @AFPFactCheck]

US President Donald Trump signed trade deals with Southeast Asian governments last month, but he did not "remove all tariffs" for Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia. Our review of their trade agreements found the levies largely remained https://t.co/5nYPUeJzOA

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

@RegineCabato Speaking as a family member of someone who unfortunately converted to INC: demonizing the Catholic Church is deeply rooted in its teachings. So I wouldn't be surprised that there would be some residual wariness towards the Church even after they leave theirs.

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

@bobpersonality Congrats, Toni!!

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

Aside from the geopolitical analysts I follow, Derek Guy is the only reason I still stick around on X

[derek guy @dieworkwear]

those so-called "jungle asians" make the gildan sweatshirts you buy for $14 and sell for $40

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

@CollinSLKoh What a cesspool of ignorance. Sorry to see you dragged into this, Collin.

[Jun Robles Lana @junrobleslana]

So it's been a week since the BSP imposed a 500K daily limit on cash withdrawals as a direct response to the corruption in flood control projects. On the surface, it sounds like a good move, right? A way to track questionable money. One friend, a freelancer, was trying to deposit their hard-earned talent fee. And what happens? They're grilled by the bank, questioned about where the money came from, asked for contracts, and subjected to more ID verification than they've ever had to do.

It feels like the "solution" is just another burden on us, the ordinary citizens. We're the ones who are hassled, scrutinized, and made to feel like criminals for simply working and earning a living. And it begs the question: If these strict protocols are meant to stop questionable transactions, how did hundreds of millions of pesos in illicit cash from the flood control projects ever move freely in the first place? Not one bank flagged it. Not one system caught it. How? Did the corrupt politicians and their syndicates have some secret, invisible way of moving money? Or did the system, the very one that is now making our lives more difficult, simply turn a blind eye?

This isn't just about a new bank rule. This is about trust. The trust that our government and our financial institutions will protect us and our money. But right now, it feels like they are protecting themselves and the very people who robbed us blind.
It's time for a real investigation, not just on those corrupt politicians, but on the methods and loopholes they exploited. We need to hold every single person and institution in the banking system accountable for this crime. Because a system that harasses the honest while enabling the corrupt is a broken system. And it's a system we, the Filipino people, deserve to see fixed.

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

As China Coast Guard activity increases in the West Philippine Sea, fringe posts on Chinese social media are now claiming that Batanes was once part of China, potentially setting the stage for continued ops in the strategically important area. For SCMP: https://t.co/0RuXkpGjLu

[Matteo Piasentini @Piase91]

“I believe the #Philippines has on several occasions demonstrated its willingness to engage in dialogue. However, the current leadership perceives the risk of external influence or economic coercion to be too great
at this time”

Quoted in @samzbeltran's latest article! (Link 👇)

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

So, how do we get the need-to-know information to sneak into the stream of want-to-know content that audiences have in a way tailored for themselves? It's a constant interrogation of ethics, but maybe experimentation and flirting with "celebrity" culture is a minor infraction.

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

To be fair, I don't think Kat Domingo's tweet was meant to be a dig at a specific journo - just commentary that reaffirms the principles and ethics journalists should strive for. However, I've long thought that a reckoning among today's journos is long overdue.

[Sam Beltran @samzbeltran]

Add to that a massive weaponization of the digital realm and information where social media has become a battleground of narratives.