Google's Top Searches Prove the Philippines Is More Chismosa Than Ever in 2023

(SPOT.ph) Google search acts as a window to our interests, reflecting even our guilty pleasures. Case in point: Our need to keep tabs on celebrities or personalities is something that Google will never hear the end of. Whether it's a form of excitement or escapism, it's no secret that we Filipinos love our celebrity gossip—and perhaps no other year made that more obvious than 2023.

Consider Google’s top searches in the Philippines for this year, where a huge chunk of the male and female personalities are either linked to new romances or heart-shattering breakups. Surprisingly, KathNiel was not part of this year's biggest searches. Instead, the spotlight was on Ahn Bo-hyun for the top male personality and Katy Louise Saunders for the top female personality.

Not following the Hallyu wave? Then you might be wondering who Katy Louise Saunders is. Well, she's a British actress who tied the knot with “Vincenzo" actor Song Joong-ki in January and welcomed a baby boy with him in June, which caused a bit of a fandom uproar since she's been married thrice in the past. On his part, who could forget Song Joong-Ki and Song Hye-kyo? 

Cristine Reyes was second on the female list, while her current beau Marco Gumabao was third on the male list. Relationship speculations began in March, with the two going public on Instagram in April. What made it extra juicy for everyone tuning in is that Gumabao is five years younger than Reyes.

Third-placer Millie Bobby Brown was engaged to Bon Jovi frontman's son Jake Bongiovi, while fourth-placer Lee Da-in got married to one of the highest paid celebrities in Korea, Lee Seung Gi. We can’t forget Issa Pressman at fifth place, who confirmed her rather controversial romance with James Reid in March.

Over at the men’s table, “Itaewon Class” actor Ahn Bo-hyun topped the male list for being linked to Blackpink’s Jisoo in August, only to break up two months later in October due to “busy schedules.”

Football player Travis Kelce might have only started publicly seeing Taylor Swift in October, but that was already enough to propel him to the fifth spot on the list. That and he won his second Super Bowl with the Chiefs. Two famous exes, Taylor Lautner and Liam Hemsworth, also make the cut at fourth and sixth place.

One half of the BarDa love team is on the seventh place. We’re talking about David Licauco, who started the year newly single but is apparently ending the year with a non-showbiz girlfriend as hinted on his (and her) Instagram.

Also read: Marites Nation: Why Filipinos Are So Invested in Celebrity Breakups

Top Google searches in the Philippines for 2023

Enough of celebrity gossip now. What else were Filipinos searching for in the realm of news, sports, music, and entertainment?

From important news updates like SIM registration and Taal Volcano to the latest in sports like Lakers vs Warriors and the FIBA World Cup, Filipinos continue to turn to Google to stay in the loop.

News

1. SIM Registration
2. Precinct finder
3. Persona non grata
4. Nipah virus
5. War in Israel and Gaza
6. Lato-lato
7. Typhoon Egay update
8. Taal Volcano update
9. Turkey earthquake
10. MoCa Farm

Shows or series

1. Duty After School
2. Maria Clara at Ibarra
3. Moving
4. The Glory
5. Twinkling Watermelon
6. King the Land
7. XO, Kitty
8. The Last of Us
9. My Lovely Liar
10. Strong Girl Nam-soon

Movies

1. Oppenheimer
2. John Wick: Chapter 4
3. Barbie
4. Insidious: The Red Door
5. The Menu
6. Extraction 2
7. I Love Lizzy
8. Evil Dead Rise
9. Nowhere
10. Kill Boksoon

Male personalities

1. Ahn Bo-hyun
2. Mackenyu
3. Marco Gumabao
4. Taylor Lautner
5. Travis Kelce
6. Liam Hemsworth
7. David Licauco
8. Kyle Kuzma
9. Juan Karlos
10. Chen Zhe Yuan

Female personalities

1. Katy Louise Saunders
2. Cristine Reyes
3. Millie Bobby Brown
4. Lee Da-in
5. Issa Pressman
6. Janna Dominguez
7. Bada Lee
8. Jenna Ortega
9. Emily Rudd
10. Isabel Santos

Sports

1. Lakers vs Warriors
2. Lakers vs Nuggets
3. FIBA World Cup
4. Miami vs Denver
5. Lakers vs Grizzlies
6. Suns vs Nuggets
7. Celtics vs 76ers
8. Heat vs Knicks
9. Golden State Warriors vs Kings
10. Ginebra vs Bay Area

Songs or lyrics

1. Say You Won’t Let Go
2. Ere
3. Pasilyo
4. Uhaw
5. Lupang Hinirang in English
6. Angels Like You
7. California King Bed
8. Rapstar
9. Raining in Manila
10. Jopay

Games

1. Blade Ball codes
2. Delta Executor
3. Solider, Poet, or King quiz
4. Cosmic Values
5. Anime Adventures codes
6. Farlight
7. Choox Sega
8. Honkai: Star Rail
9. Minecraft 1.20
10. Project Slayers codes

Farewells

1. Mike Enriquez
2. Joey Paras
3. Matthew Perry
4. Andrei Sison
5. Patrick Guzman
6. Mario Dumaual
7. John Regala
8. Michael Gambon
9. Park Soo Ryun
10. Tina Turner

Also read: This Filipina F1 Academy Racer Pops Up in Video for Google’s Most Searched for the Past 25 Years