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Google Year in Search 2025: NBA Finals, Halalan, Dionela, Alex Eala, more

Elections, AI, rising icons, sports, Korean series, more

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Google has released its Year in Search 2025, revealing the trends and moments that shaped the online habits of internet users this year.

Specifically for Filipinos, Gemini AI topped the overall trending list. Just under that is “Halalan 2025 results”, as it is a mid-term general election in the country. It shows that Filipinos are still very invested in what’s going on as far as politics are concerned.

During the 2025 elections, citizens voted for 12 senators to elect into office, representatives from their legislative districts, as well as local positions in provinces, cities, and municipalities.

Netflix series Squid Game also made the Top 10 list at No. 6. Reflecting the Philippines’ unwavering love for basketball, “OKC vs Indiana” also made it to No. 9. The Oklahoma City Thunder, of course, beat the Indiana Pacers in seven games to hoist this year’s NBA title.

Curiously, Khan Academy also made it to the magic 10, pretty much implying that several Filipino professionals constantly have upskilling in their minds.

Alex Eala, Dionela rise

Moving on to more specific lists, Filipino tennis rising star Alex Eala was definitely a talk of the town this calendar year. She is the most searched female personality overall, topping the likes of Bea Borres, AJ Raval, Jessica Sanchez, and Mika Salamanca, to name a few.

She is also ranked fourth in the list of most searched sports terms, behind “OKC vs Indiana”, “Pacquiao vs Barrios”, and “NBA standings 2025”.

Interestingly, the Golden State Warriors are No. 8 on that list but the Los Angeles Lakers have not made an appearance in this year’s Top 10.

Meanwhile, for male personalities, Dionela is at No. 4 on a more diverse list which includes Andy Byron (No. 1), Ed Gein (No. 2), and even Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon (No. 7) and Bronny James (No. 8).

Taylor Swift’s fiance, NFL star Travis Kelce (No. 9) and Kendrick Lamar (No. 10) wrap up the male personalities list.

OPM power

Dionela did make his presence felt on another list — Songs — where his famous track “Marilag” is at No. 2 behind Earl Agustin’s “Tibok”.

In fact, it’s a rather OPM-laden list, showing how invested Filipinos still are in their own music. There’s Cup of Joe’s “Multo” (No. 4) and even Ogie Alcasid’s “Nandito Ako” (No. 5) which has enjoyed quite a resurgence, thanks to social media and former American Idol runner-up David Archuleta even singing it during a recent music festival.

Trending social media hits “Gnarly” and “Opalite” by KATESYE and Taylor Swift, respectively, round out the most searched songs list.

Entertainment

And speaking of Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, Netflix’s Physical Asia is curiously missing from the most searched shows and series this year. Although, they are No. 9 in the more specific Top Korean Series list.

Just behind Squid Game are When Life Gives You Tangerines, S Line,and Bon Appetit, Your Majesty on both lists.

For movies, the term “Final Destination” is the most searched, thanks to the franchise’s sixth installment, Final Destination Bloodlines.

Horror/mystery movies have been quite impressive this year, with “Conjuring” referencing Conjuring: Last Rites and Weapons at No. 8 and No. 10, respectively.

Of course, Kpop Demon Hunters has likewise made noise, coming in at second. Superman took the third spot, while another superhero movie, Thunderbolts, is at fourth.

Farewells

For farewells, the passing of Meteor Garden female protagonist Barbie Hsu shocked a lot of Filipino fans — especially those who grew up watching the hit Taiwanese drama series from the 2000s.

The death of Emman Atienza, the daughter of TV personality Kuya Kim Atienza, also resonated deeply among younger audiences as she spoke candidly about mental health issues prior to her passing.

Among other top searches under the category are for Pope Francis (No. 3), celebrities Nora Aunor (No. 5), Gloria Romero (No. 6), Pilita Corrales (No. 10), and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (No. 7).

AI-related

Lastly, when it comes to AI-related search terms, Filipinos continue to learn more about how AI can help their everyday lives.

Gemini AI comes in at first, DeepSeek is at second, while Claude rounds out the top three. There’s also ChatGPT (No. 8), Nano Banana (No. 10), and Verse (No. 6).

Gaming

2026’s The Game Awards will stream live on Disney+

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Annually, The Game Awards have become a sort of second Christmas for gamers. Besides a celebration of the past year in the world of videogames, the event hosts trailers for games of the upcoming year and beyond. Though it’s already free on several platforms, viewers can now tune in to Disney+ to watch this year’s Game Awards.

Hosted as always by Geoff Keighley, 2026’s The Game Awards will happen on December 10 at 7:30pm ET. Most of the event will award the best titles of various categories for the year. Several publishers and developers also use the event to announce their upcoming titles. It’s for these reasons that a lot of gamers catch the event every year.

This year, The Game Awards is streaming live on Disney+. This is in addition to its usual platforms including Twitch and YouTube. The Disney+ stream will be available in the United States and select territories internationally.

For now, gamers can also vote on their picks for various categories via the event’s website.

On the other hand, Disney+ has been pushing live events more adamantly. In the Philippines, for example, the platform is the home for live NBA coverage. Though it’s not as strong as Netflix’s gaming push with its assortment of free games, Disney+’s addition of the annual awards show is a worthy go for gamers.

SEE ALSO: Here are all the big trailers from The Game Awards 2025

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Enterprise

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang resigns after scandals

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NVIDIA’s week is finally and mercifully coming to an end. After being implicated in two extramarital affairs, now-former NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has resigned from his position.

It’s been a terrible week for Huang’s personal life. Last weekend, a bombshell report revealed that Huang engaged in an affair with Alice Huang, who is reportedly involved with Chinese intelligence. Quickly realizing the heaviness of the allegations, the CEO admitted quickly to the affair.

However, barely 24 hours ago, another report revealed that Huang had a second extramarital affair. Though he was clear of any more espionage allegations, his romantic affair of choice was another executive within the company. NVIDIA’s board of directors quickly debated whether Huang should be fired for his actions.

Now, Huang has voluntarily resigned from his position. The former CEO leaves behind his spot at the head of the table since cofounding NVIDIA in 1993.

In his stead, the board of directors have named incumbent CFO Colette Kress as the company’s interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement. Despite her interim role, Kress will continue her duties as CFO.

Additionally, the board has named Harvey C. Jones, a member of board since its founding, as its first chair of the board.

Though the company will leave most of the controversy behind with Huang’s departure, its next chapter is about to begin. Will its new direction maintain the company’s tenuous balance between AI and gaming, or tip the scales towards one segment?

SEE ALSO: NVIDIA CEO admits to having an affair with alleged Chinese spy

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St. Peter reunited people with their deceased loved ones through tech

The new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign generates letters from the imagined perspectives of loved ones.

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Grieving can take many forms. Sometimes, it manifests through a desire to hear a loved one again. We look at their old clothing, a gust of wind, or a butterfly, and imagine them talking to us one more time. This year, St. Peter, through the power of technology, gave 11,000 people that chance through its new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign.

During St. Peter Deathcare Week, which ran from October 27 through November 2, the deathcare provider started the “If Heaven Could Write” campaign, an interactive digital experience that offered participants a chance to reunite with their deceased loved ones. It was available in 37 St. Peter Chapels and 76 cemeteries nationwide.

Upon scanning a QR code which took them to a portal, participants answered questions about their loved ones. Then, the portal generates a personal letter from the imagined perspective of the participant’s loved one, giving them one more chance to converse.

Of course, an imagined letter can’t replace someone who passed away. Still, the experience affords us a way to grieve and process the loss. No, the letter isn’t really from your loved one, but you can imagine what they would have said while reading through it. And sometimes, that’s all we need.

Though St. Peter Deathcare Week has already come and gone for the year, those interested can still participate in the campaign through its link.

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