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For those living under a rock, vlog comes from the words “video” and “blog,” while blog comes from the phrase web log.
The title of this piece is a play on the theme of the Philippine Blog Awards many years ago — “one blogging nation” — which referred to Filipinos’ love affair with bloggers at the time.
This week, the Digital 2025 report by Meltwater and WeAreSocial confirms what many may have suspected all along. The Philippines has been smitten by vloggers and vlogging. Indeed, we are “one vlogging nation.”
The Philippines is mentioned perhaps hundreds of times in the report, and the findings might surprise some Filipino who harbor certain misconceptions or myths about our own people.
The results are in: The Philippines is No. 1 in the world in watching vlogs or influencer videos each week. Nearly half of Filipino internet users do so every week.
Unsurprisingly, we are also No. 1 in the world in following influencers on social media.
We are No. 1 in Asia, and No. 2 in the world, in watching how-to videos, tutorial videos or educational videos each week. About six out of every 10 Filipinos do so.
We are No. 1 worldwide in watching TV content via streaming services.
This home of BINI and SB19 (and of loyal fandoms of K-Pop, Taylor Smith, and Beyonce) is No. 1 in the world in watching online music videos each week. Seven out of 10 Filipinos do so.
We are No. 1 in the world in playing video games, with 96.6 percent of internet users doing so. Between toddlers and teens, and Juan Ponce Enrile, we are a nation of people who play video games.
The Digital 2025 report also says that the Philippines leads the world in the regular use of online financial services.
Other highlights worth noting include:
We’re the top 12 in listening to streaming music, top 15 in listening to podcasts.
Filipino ranks 10th among languages with huge audiences. Our national language has a 56.7-million online audience.
Facebook ads can reach 90.75 million Filipinos, while TikTok has 62.345 million, YouTube 57.7 million, and Instagram 22.85 million.
Every month, Filipinos open the Messenger app 830.2 times, the Facebook app 423 times, and TikTok 410.3 times.
Every month, a Filipino is said to spend 16 hours 27 minutes on the Messenger app. This is unsurprising as it is widely used for school and work, as well as by families.
Every month too, a typical Filipino spends 23 hours 34 minutes on the Facebook app. That’s practically one whole day in a month.
Filipinos spend more time on TikTok each month: a whooping 40 hours 39 minutes. It is not known whether most of this swiping is done at school, at work, in the middle of traffic jams, or in bed as we try to go to sleep.
We are No. 3 in making mobile video calls, No. 4 in chat and messaging, No. 8 in use of email, No. 16 in making weekly online purchases.
Seven out of 10 Filipinos purchase digital content.
Nearly half of Filipino internet users visit brand websites.
Forty-five percent use QR codes.
One-third use ride-hailing and moto-taxi apps.
Only 20 percent use voice assistants.
One set of data reveal the financial status of Filipinos:
Only 21.7 use mobile payment services.
Debit card adoption, 29.8 percent (below worldwide average of 52.8 percent)
Credit card adoption, 8.1 percent (below the world average of 24.1 percent)
14.8 percent of Filipinos own cryptocurrency.
A lot is often said by some Filipinos about the Philippines being backward, but these findings say otherwise – especially on technological and digital activities.
Digital 2025 could be a source of insights on defining today’s Filipino. Our sense of “diskarte” and street smarts have found their way in the digital and technological sphere. Our people, including those who have a lot less in life, do not allow themselves to get caught in the digital divide.
Our national and local governments, companies, media, political parties and movements, should step up and give world-leading Filipinos world-class service we richly deserve: better apps and websites, online services, consumer, privacy and surveillance protection, subsidies for artists and artistic productions for a global audience, capital loans for MSMEs in digital and e-commerce, state investments in startups, and faster broadband nationwide.
Our people have gone digital. Our leaders have no excuse.