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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Celebrities devider 'Squid Game,' Barbie Hsu, Alex Eala: Google unveils 2025 Year in Search in PH

'Squid Game,' Barbie Hsu, Alex Eala: Google unveils 2025 Year in Search in PH

Published Dec 5, 2025 09:09 am  |  Updated Dec 10, 2025 01:05 pm
(Clockwise from top left) "Head Over Heels," Alex Eala, Barbie Hsu, Bea Borres, "When Life Gives You Tangerines" and "Squid Game" (Prime Video, Instagram, Netflix)
(Clockwise from top left) "Head Over Heels," Alex Eala, Barbie Hsu, Bea Borres, "When Life Gives You Tangerines" and "Squid Game" (Prime Video, Instagram, Netflix)

Google unveiled its annual Year in Search lists about the trends, events and personalities that captured the interest in the Philippines. 

The lists are overall top trending, news, sports, shows or series, songs, games, male personalities, female personalities, movies, farewells, Korean series, and AI-related searches, 

The 2025 Overall Top Trending list showed diverse topics and interests. The No. 1 keyword among Filipinos in 2025 is “Gemini AI,” Google’s AI tool, which revealed an increase in reliance on AI for daily tasks and projects. 

“Halalan 2025 results” placed second while “earthquake near me” took fourth place as the country experienced earthquakes in the latter parts of the year. 

“Squid Game” took sixth place as the third and final season was released in June. Roblox’s “Grow a Garden” placed third thanks to its popularity among the Filipino youth.

Homegrown pro tennis player Alex Eala ranked first in Female Personalities and No. 4 in Sports.

“OKC vs Indiana” took first place in Sports while “Halalan 2025 results” ranked No. 1 in News. 

In Shows or Series, “Squid Game” came first followed by “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” “S Line,” “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” and “Ang Mutya ng Section E.” The K-drama “Head Over Heels” is No. 9. 

The Shows and Series list is composed entirely of titles from online streaming platforms, showing dominance in Filipinos’ entertainment habits. 

This is in line with the findings from this year’s e-Conomy Report, which shows that the Philippines has the fastest-growing online media sector in the region at a rate of 16 percent year-on-year from 2024, along with Indonesia and Vietnam.

“Tibok” is No. 1 in Songs, “Grow a Garden” in Games, Andy Byron in Male Personalities, Alexandra Eala in Female Personalities, “Final Destination” in Movies, Barbie Hsu in Farewells, and Gemini AI in AI-related Searches. 

The top search trends in the Philippines in 2025:

Overall Top Trending

1. Gemini AI

2. Halalan 2025 results

3. Grow a Garden

4. earthquake near me

5. women in STEM fields

6. Squid Game

7. digibooth

8. National ID

9. OKC vs Indiana

10. Khan Academy

Gemini AI (Screenshot from Gemini AI)
Gemini AI (Screenshot from Gemini AI)
Top Overall Trending Searches in the Philippines (Google)
Top Overall Trending Searches in the Philippines (Google)

News

1. Halalan 2025 results

2. earthquake near me

3. Maguad siblings

4. National ID

5. Senatorial candidates 2025

6. International Criminal Court

7. earthquake safety information

8. new Pope

9. LET results 2025

10. eGovPH

May 12, 2025 elections in the Philippines (Jonathan Hicap)
May 12, 2025 elections in the Philippines (Jonathan Hicap)
Top Trending Searches for News in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for News in the Philippines (Google)

Sports

1. OKC vs Indiana

2. Pacquiao vs Barrios

3. NBA standings 2025

4. Alexandra Eala

5. FIBA Asia Cup

6. Wimbledon 2025

7. Premier Volleyball League

8. Golden State Warriors

9. Eurobasket

10. Tyrese Haliburton

Oklahoma City Thunder (Photo by Jimmy Do/OKC Thunder via NBA website)
Oklahoma City Thunder (Photo by Jimmy Do/OKC Thunder via NBA website)
Top Trending Searches for Sports in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for Sports in the Philippines (Google)

Shows or Series

1. Squid Game

2. When Life Gives You Tangerines

3. S Line

4. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty

5. Ang Mutya ng Section E

6. Monster: The Ed Gein Story

7. Friendly Rivalry

8. How To Tame A Silver Fox

9. Head Over Heels

10. Forever After, Never Again

Top Trending Searches for TV Shows in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for TV Shows in the Philippines (Google)
"When Life Gives You Tangerines" (Netflix)
"Head Over Heels" (Prime Video)
"Bon Appétit, Your Majesty" (tvN)
"Squid Game" (Netflix)

Songs

1. Tibok

2. Marilag

3. Golden

4. Multo

5. Nandito Ako

6. You'll Be In My Heart

7. Dive

8. Die with a Smile

9. Gnarly

10. Opalite

Top Trending Searches for Songs in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for Songs in the Philippines (Google)
"Tibok" (Screenshot from YouTube)

Games

1. Grow a Garden

2. Sprunki

3. Blue Lock: Rivals

4. Arise Crossover

5. Minecraft

6. Jujutsu Infinite

7. Volleyball Legends

8. Hunty Zombie

9. Anime Adventures

10. The International 2025

Top Trending Searches for Games in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for Games in the Philippines (Google)

Male Personalities

1. Andy Byron

2. Ed Gein

3. d4vd

4. Pope Leo XIV

5. Dionela

6. Tyrese Haliburton

7. Vince Dizon

8. Bronny James

9. Travis Kelce

10. Kendrick Lamar

Dionela (Instagram)
Dionela (Instagram)
Top Trending Searches for Male Personalities in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for Male Personalities in the Philippines (Google)

Female Personalities

1. Alexandra Eala

2. Bea Borres

3. AJ Raval

4. Twice

5. Katherine Luna

6. Andi Eigenmann

7. Jo Yuri

8. Claudia Barreto

9. Jessica Sanchez

10. Mika Salamanca

Bea Borres (Instagram)
Bea Borres (Instagram)
Alex Eala (Instagram)
Alex Eala (Instagram)
Top Trending Searches for Female Personalities in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for Female Personalities in the Philippines (Google)
TWICE (X)
TWICE (X)

Movies

1. Final Destination

2. Kpop Demon Hunters

3. Superman

4. Thunderbolts

5. Minecraft Movie

6. The Gorge

7. 28 Years Later

8. Conjuring

9. How to Train Your Dragon

10. Weapons

"Final Destination Bloodlines" (Warner Bros. Pictures International)
Top Trending Searches for Movies in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for Movies in the Philippines (Google)

Farewells

1. Barbie Hsu

2. Emman Atienza

3. Pope Francis

4. Kim Sae Ron

5. Nora Aunor

6. Gloria Romero

7. Juan Ponce Enrile

8. Ricky Davao

9. Michelle Trachtenberg

10. Pilita Corrales

Barbie Hsu (Instagram)
Barbie Hsu (Instagram)
Emman Atienza (Instagram)
Emman Atienza (Instagram)
Top Trending Searches for Farewells in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for Farewells in the Philippines (Google)

Korean Series

1. Squid Game

2. When Life Gives You Tangerines

3. S Line

4. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty

5. Friendly Rivalry

6. Head Over Heels

7. When the Phone Rings

8. Dear X

9. Physical: Asia

10. Genie, Make a Wish

Top Trending Searches for Korean Series in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for Korean Series in the Philippines (Google)
"S Line" (Sidus)

AI-related Searches

1. Gemini AI

2. DeepSeek

3. Claude

4. BLACKBOX.AI

5. LMArena AI

6. Verse

7. “Humanize this” prompt

8. ChatGPT

9. Veo 3

10. Nano Banana

Top Trending Searches for AI in the Philippines (Google)
Top Trending Searches for AI in the Philippines (Google)
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