Yen and AJ Beat Leni and Sara in Google's Top Search Queries for 2021

In 2021, a year that precedes a crucial general elections, Filipinos Googled two actresses more than its two most popular female candidates for president and vice president, data showed. 

Giving a glimpse of what mattered most on the second year of the pandemic, Google's list of top search queries under the "Female personalities" category showed actresses Yen Santos (rank 1) and AJ Raval (rank 3), both involved in cheating controversies, ahead of presidential aspirant Leni Robredo (rank 5) and vice presidential aspirant Sara Duterte (rank 6). 

Though Google did not provide further analysis regarding their rankings, the list is indicative of celebrity gossip's place on the public agenda.

EXPLAINER: Marites Nation: Why Filipinos are so Invested in Celebrity Breakups

Santos and Raval were repeatedly involved in highly-publicized cheating scandals that broke up famous celebrity couples, which were seen as effective distractions for Filipinos still experiencing the wrath of COVID, along with government corruption scandals and unpredictable lockdowns. 

Santos was the alleged third party in the breakup of Paolo Contis and LJ Reyes, while Raval was implicated in the separation of Kylie Padilla and Aljur Abrenica and was recently accused of being Diego Loyzaga's other woman. 

Rabiya Mateo, the Philippines' bet to the Miss Universe 2020 pageant that happened in May this year, placed second in the list, while Hidilyn Diaz, who secured the country its first Olympic gold in Tokyo, place third. 

Actor Gerald Anderson, also involved in a cheating scandal, placed 4th in the "male personalities" category. American actor Jake Gyllenhaal, rumored to have inspired Taylor Swift's "All Too Well" that broke chart records, topped said list. He is followed by South Korean actor Kim Seon-ho, the “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” who got involved in a controversial abortion scandal with her ex-girlfriend. 

Google's full Year in Search for the Philippines are as follows:

FEMALE PERSONALITIES

1. Yen Santos
2. Rabiya Mateo
3. AJ Raval
4. Hidilyn Diaz
5. Leni Robredo
6. Sara Duterte
7.  Bella Poarch
8. Olivia Rodrigo
9. HoYeon Jung
10. Olivia Culpo

MALE PERSONALITIES

1. Jake Gyllenhaal
2. Kim Seon-ho
3. Hwang In-youp
4. Gerald Anderson
5. Dylan O'brien
6. Scottie Thompson
7. Dominic Roque
8. Giannis Antetokounmpo
9. Carlo Paalam
10. Mel Sarmiento

OVERALL TOP TRENDING SEARCHES

1. COVID-19 prevention
2. NBA games today
3. Squid Game 
4. VaxCertPH
5. Miss Universe 2021
6. COVID-19 vaccine
7. Pacquiao vs. Ugas
8. Pagsamo lyrics
9. True Beauty
10. Metro Manila area floods

TOP NEWS

1. COVID-19 prevention
2. VaxCertPH
3. Miss Universe 2021
4. COVID-19 vaccine
5. Pacquiao vs. Ugas
6. Metro Manila area floods
7. Paralympics
8. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
9. National ID registration
10. Johnson & Johnson vaccine

OLYMPICS

1. Paralympics
2. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
3. Hidilyn Diaz
4. Olympics
5. Olympics medal tally
6. Carlo Paalam
7. Devin Booker
8. Leylah Fernandez
9. Eumir Marcial
10. Nesthy Petecio

SPORTS

1. NBA games today
2. Bucks vs. Suns
3. Nets vs. Bucks
4. Lakers
5. Pacquiao vs. Ugas
6. Suns vs. Clippers
7. Paralympics
8. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
9. PBA schedule
10. NBA score today

TOP SHOWS OR SERIES

1. Squid Game
2. True Beauty
3. Vincenzo
4. Nevertheless
5. Falling Into Your Smile
6. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
7. Bridgerton
8. Trese
9. Mr. Queen
10. Alice In Borderland

TOP SONGS OR LYRICS

1. Pagsamo lyrics
2. Heartbreak Anniversary lyrics
3. Crazier lyrics
4. Panalo lyrics
5. Paubaya lyrics
6. Mapa lyrics
7. Drivers License lyrics
8. All Too Well lyrics
9. Levitating lyrics
10. traitor lyrics

GAME-RELATED

1. Axie Infinity
2. Dragonary
3. CryptoBlades
4. Specimen Zero
5. My DeFi Pet
6. Sausage Man
7. KaraStar
8. Valorant
9. Among Us
10. Genshin Impact

TOP MOVIES

1. Raya and the Last Dragon
2. Army of the Dead
3. Black Widow
4. Red Notice
5. Death of a Girlfriend
6. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
7. Army of Thieves
8. Rurouni Kenshin
9. Space Jam: A New Legacy
10. Cruella

TOP KOREAN PERSONALITIES

1. Kim Seon-ho
2. Hwang In-youp
3. HoYeon Jung
4. Lee Da-in
5. Yeon Woo
6. Seo Yea-ji
7. Song Kang
8. Enhypen
9. Han So Hee
10. Heeseung

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