Admit it or not, 2022 became a year for so many memorable events. Besides the continuous surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipinos were also intrigued by other issues happening in their surroundings.
With this, a well-known internet browser, Google, evaluated the top ten news topics that Filipinos frequently search for during the year.
1. Halalan 2022
One of the significant events that happened in the Philippines this year was the election—specifically the presidential elections. The country expressed mixed emotions when it came to candidates and even to the process of the elections, as it will be conducted during the pandemic.
Based on the statistics from Google, the region of Muslim Mindanao has the highest number of people who search for this topic during the electoral season. This was followed by the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Ilocos Region.
2. VaxCert PH
In response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines were required to combat the virus’s effects. To monitor the status of vaccinated Filipinos, the government has launched an online website where citizens can access their vaccination details.
Despite its convenience, some individuals encountered issues upon accessing their vaccination details as records were delayed in posting due to a high volume of information.
3. Precinct finder
For the first time, elections were conducted in the middle of the pandemic, where protocols needed to be complied with along with a massive count of voters in the country.
This has been one of the top searches in the Philippines because the government has decided to ease the problem of voters checking their precincts during the elections. These finders can also serve as verification if the voter’s information is still active.
4. Ukraine
Even if the issue happened outside the country, Filipinos are still affected by what happened in the war between Ukraine and Russia.
In the Philippines alone, the war affected the prices of goods and fuel products due to the affected services in Ukraine. Based on the data from Google, most Filipinos searched this keyword in the month of February—the time when the war ignited.
5. Monkeypox
Other than the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was also alarmed by a new disease that was scattered in different places. Monkeypox is also a transmissible disease that was described as commonly seen through an individual’s skin.
With symptoms similar to flu and other common mild illnesses, Filipinos were urged to look into this disease to see if they were already suffering from it.
6. NATO
With the war between Ukraine and Russia, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, decided to become an ally for Ukraine in terms of its defense system.
This decision was made as Russia declined the offer of NATO and other allies, which made their country violate international law and the United Nations Charter.
7. Gwyneth Chua
This Filipina was tagged as the “Poblacion girl” who made Filipinos go angry due to her mistakes, which turned into a serious problem during the pandemic.
Gwyneth became trending because of her violation of quarantine protocols after coming home from the United States. Besides this, she also met with her friends at a bar in Makati and tested positive for COVID-19 after being caught by the police.
8. Presidential race update
During the 2022 elections, a battle between President Bongbong Marcos Jr. and former Vice President Leni Robredo was monitored closely by Filipino citizens.
This was also closely observed by many because a lot of issues with the casting and counting of votes were seen after the elections, which required the Commission on Elections to allot days to declare the presidential winner.
9. Ethylene Oxide
Loved by many Filipinos, a local brand of instant noodles was shocked by many as an international health department released a warning that their company’s products contain ethylene oxide that is dangerous to be consumed by humans.
This chemical substance is reported to be harmful to humans because too much intake of it can cause cancer and other serious illnesses. With this, Filipinos became intrigued, knowing that it could put their health in danger.
10. Bagyong Karding update
Despite the crisis during the pandemic, another destructive phenomenon happened in the Philippines in 2022. Bagyong Karding, or Typhoon Noru, affected Filipino families from Luzon to Mindanao at the start of September this year.
With its massive impact on the community, some Filipinos described the catastrophe as bringing back the devastating memories brought by Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, which also happened in the same month.
Looking back at these frequently searched topics, it is obvious that 2022 became challenging for all of us. From various diseases to electoral campaigns, Filipinos really made it through a tough year.
As a new year enters, may we not forget the things that we’ve encountered this year, especially the life lessons that we should follow throughout our journey.
