Google’s Year in Search: Pop culture, elections, and more

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MANILA – Google’s annual list of top trending searches reveals topics that uncover the moments that surprised, captivated, and moved Pinoys.

Filipinos’ love for pop culture is evident as this year’s overall top trending search term is “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber from his fourth album Purpose. Several Filipino artists did a cover of this song including James Reid and Kristel Fulgar, while YouTube creator Mikey Bustos did a parody of the song highlighting what courtship is like in the Philippines.

Following Bieber’s song are game applications slither.io and Pokémon Go on the second and third spots, respectively. Filipinos got hooked on catching pocket monsters in different areas of the country when Pokémon Go was made available in August. Though Pokemon Go surpassed Slither.io in terms of downloads, Filipinos got more curious about Slither.io. This multiplayer game has a touch of the classic snake game where the player needs to grow the snake by collecting gems and defeating other snakes.

Other pop culture terms earning a spot on the trending search list are the movies Train to Busan and Suicide Squad, as well as chart-toppers “Closer” by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey and “Secret Love Song” by Little Mix and Jason Derulo.

Elections 2016 lands the top spot for the trending news as Filipinos flocked to the internet to look for information surrounding this year’s elections. In the same light, the Vice Presidential Debates caught the attention of the Filipino netizens as it claims the eighth spot in the trending news list. From the campaign period to the debates, Filipinos closely followed news about the progress of the elections as well as the results.

With the continued interest in the elections, President Rodrigo Duterte leads the top male personalities for this year. The former Davao City mayor won by 16 million votes and is the first Mindanaoan to hold the executive office.

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, who was crowned Miss Universe in 2015, is this year’s top trending female personality. Wurtzbach is the third Filipina to win Miss Universe, and her story of resilience and her determination to win the coveted crown captured the hearts of Filipinos throughout her reign this 2016.

Filipinos were also in on the hype for the world’s top sports and entertainment events. Dominating this year’s list of top trending events was the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Held on August 5-21 at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, the most celebrated sports event of the year also brought pride to the country when 25-year old weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won a silver medal – the Philippines’ first after 20 years.

When it comes to traveling and leisure, Kalanggaman Island tops the trending local destinations. Found in Leyte, this island is famous for its clear waters, pristine shores, and a long sandbar that stretches from one island to another. Completing the list are other places perfect for a beach getaway.

“From pressing issues, to sports, to entertainment, this year’s list shows that Filipinos continue to take part in different conversations by keeping themselves informed about what’s happening around them, not just locally but also internationally. Year in Search is Google’s way of celebrating the year with the Filipinos with the things they cared about,” said Gail Tan, Google Philippines Head of Communications and Public Affairs.

Go to google.com.ph/2016 to explore the rest of the 2016 Year in Search stories and top trending charts from the Philippines and around the world.

Trending Searches for 2016 by category (Local):