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Over 690 individual across Metro Manila through two missions conducted by SM Foundation in its recent collaboration for social good with two local organizations.

Working with National University – Community Extension Unit, the foundation held a medical and dental mission in Barangay Coloong, Valenzuela City, offering consultations, ECG tests, X-rays, and cholesterol and blood sugar screenings. The foundation extended its reach to Quiapo, Manila, where it served patients at the Order of Malta with general medical care, ENT, pediatrics, dental services, X-rays, ECG tests, and ophthalmology examinations.

Both missions provided beneficiaries with free medicines and vitamins.

The initiatives are part of SM Foundation’s broader Health and Medical Programs, which has renovated more than 170 health centers nationwide and served over 1 million patients through medical missions across the country.

SM Foundation’s volunteer doctor during a free medical consultation with a beneficiary In Quiapo, Manila. 

The SM Foundation Mobile Clinic opens for patients from Coloong, Valenzuela needing ECG and X-Ray.

SM Foundation’s resident doctor conducts a consultation, ensuring patients receive thorough examinations and education on preventive health measures.

It’s December once more, and as 2025 comes to an end, Google releases its annual Year In Search lists, rounding up the trends, personalities, and events that captured the interest of Pinoy netizens.

This year’s overall top trending list showcases a great amount of diversity when it comes to topics and interests. The #1 keyword is Gemini AI, which is not only representative of Google’s AI tool, but also of the larger increase in Filipinos’ reliance on AI for many daily tasks and projects.

Beyond AI, three search terms on the list are news items, proving that Filipinos still rely on Google Search to give them more information and context on current events. Halalan 2025 is #2, thanks to the all-important national midterm elections that took place last summer, while the concerning amount of earthquakes that defined the latter parts of the year drove people to turn to not only Search, but also Google’s safety alerts.

At #6 overall, Netflix’s Squid Game remains a powerful trend after its comeback and series finale earlier this year, highlighting the grip the show continues to have over global pop culture. Roblox also remains one of the most popular video games in the world, with its in-game variant Grow a Garden ranking at top three overall thanks to its popularity among the Filipino youth.

Filipino pride is also the order of the year, with homegrown pro tennis player Alex Eala ranking at both #1 in Female Personalities and #4 in Sports. She joins boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, who is back on the list at #2 in Sports. Local singer Dionela is the top Male Filipino Personality that people search for, with his hit “Marilag” beating even 2025’s unofficial hit song of the year “Golden” from Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters (#2 and #3 in Music, respectively).

Meanwhile, the Shows and Series list is being composed entirely of titles that are exclusively on online streaming platforms, mainly Netflix, which is evidence of its sheer dominance in Filipinos’ entertainment habits. This is in line with the findings from this year’s e-Conomy Report, which shows that the Philippines has the fastest-growing online media sector in the region at a rate of 16% year-on-year from 2024, along with Indonesia and Vietnam.

Here’s the full list of top search trends in the Philippines this year:

Overall Top Trending

1. Gemini AI
2. Halalan 2025 results
3. Grow a Garden
4. earthquake near me
5. women in STEM fields
6. Squid Game
7. digibooth
8. National ID
9. OKC vs Indiana
10. Khan Academy

News

1. Halalan 2025 results
2. earthquake near me
3. Maguad siblings
4. National ID
5. Senatorial candidates 2025
6. International Criminal Court
7. earthquake safety information
8. new Pope
9. LET results 2025
10. eGovPH

Sports

1. OKC vs Indiana
2. Pacquiao vs Barrios
3. NBA standings 2025
4. Alexandra Eala
5. FIBA Asia Cup
6. Wimbledon 2025
7. Premier Volleyball League
8. Golden State Warriors
9. Eurobasket
10. Tyrese Haliburton

Shows or Series

1. Squid Game
2. When Life Gives You Tangerines
3. S Line
4. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty
5. Ang Mutya ng Section E
6. Monster: The Ed Gein Story
7. Friendly Rivalry
8. How To Tame A Silver Fox
9. Head Over Heels
10. Forever After, Never Again

Songs

1. Tibok
2. Marilag
3. Golden
4. Multo
5. Nandito Ako
6. You’ll Be In My Heart
7. Dive
8. Die with a Smile
9. Gnarly
10. Opalite

Games

1. Grow a Garden
2. Sprunki
3. Blue Lock: Rivals
4. Arise Crossover
5. Minecraft
6. Jujutsu Infinite
7. Volleyball Legends
8. Hunty Zombie
9. Anime Adventures
10. The International 2025

Male Personalities

1. Andy Byron
2. Ed Gein
3. d4vd
4. Pope Leo XIV
5. Dionela
6. Tyrese Haliburton
7. Vince Dizon
8. Bronny James
9. Travis Kelce
10. Kendrick Lamar

Female Personalities

1. Alexandra Eala
2. Bea Borres
3. AJ Raval
4. Twice
5. Katherine Luna
6. Andi Eigenmann
7. Jo Yuri
8. Claudia Barreto
9. Jessica Sanchez
10. Mika Salamanca

Movies

1. Final Destination
2. Kpop Demon Hunters
3. Superman
4. Thunderbolts
5. Minecraft Movie
6. The Gorge
7. 28 Years Later
8. Conjuring
9. How to Train Your Dragon
10. Weapons

Farewells

1. Barbie Hsu
2. Emman Atienza
3. Pope Francis
4. Kim Sae Ron
5. Nora Aunor
6. Gloria Romero
7. Juan Ponce Enrile
8. Ricky Davao
9. Michelle Trachtenberg
10. Pilita Corrales

Korean Series

1. Squid Game
2. When Life Gives You Tangerines
3. S Line
4. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty
5. Friendly Rivalry
6. Head Over Heels
7. When the Phone Rings
8. Dear X
9. Physical: Asia
10. Genie, Make a Wish

AI-related Searches

1. Gemini AI
2. DeepSeek
3. Claude
4. AI
5. LMArena AI
6. Verse
7. “Humanize this” prompt
8. ChatGPT
9. Veo 3
10. Nano Banana

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 Kasalan sa SM makes a long-awaited dream wedding come true

SM employee Ruby and her husband Joel Villablanca fulfill their dream wedding through the 10^th Kasalan sa SM, a program of the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation.

“For richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.”

These vows were already a lived reality for SM employee Ruby and her husband Joel Villablanca long before they formally received the Sacrament of Marriage at the 10th Kasalan sa SM of the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation.

She was then working at an old supermarket that is, coincidentally, now SM East Ortigas. That was where she met Joel; she was around 20 years old. A year later, they were blessed with a son.

“At that time, we didn’t think about getting married because we were a bit unready, financially. At the same time, our families were also facing financial challenges, so we had to stand on our own,” she shared.

“Ako rin po ay breadwinner kaya halo-halo po ang worries and doubts ko noon. Looking back, I can truly say that it was faith in the Lord that guided us through it all,” she added.

Despite the responsibilities of young parenthood, Ruby continued building her career. After giving birth, she joined SM Appliance, a step that slowly helped their family gain stable ground. Eventually, after eight years of being together, the couple decided to have a civil wedding.

Now at 43, and with more than a decade of shared life behind them, Ruby said they have truly lived the words “in sickness and in health.”

Through every struggle, she admitted, “Faith lang po talaga.”

The Villablancas exchange ‘I dos’ at the 10th Kasalan sa SM of the Felicidad T. Sy Foundation held at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Jesus, The Way, The Truth and The Life in Pasay City.

Yet even as a legally married couple, she continued to pray for a union blessed by Christ.

“Iba pa rin po kapag nakatanggap po tayo ng Sacrament of Marriage dahil lalo po nitong pinalalapit si Lord sa center ng inyong relationship. Ang SM family, lalo na po ang family ko SM Appliance, sila po ang nag-encourgae sa amin na i-grab po ang opportunity na ito.”

“Isang blessing po talaga,” she said of the Kasalan sa SM, which finally fulfilled her dream of wearing a gown and receiving the Sacrament of Marriage, something she once felt would remain out of reach.

Daily life, she explained, often made planning a church wedding feel impossible. “We are working 8 hours a day; add to that the commute to and from work, and other errands and home responsibilities. With so many competing priorities, mapapaisip ka kung paano mo hahanapan ng time ‘yung wedding preparations.”

This was why Kasalan sa SM felt like a miracle. “Kasalan sa SM was a blessing because they gave us time to attend the needed orientation and seminars. While all the other aspects of the wedding were already taken care of by them, including my gown and husband’s barong,” she said.

“On our own, it seemed impossible to do it all.”

In sickness and in health

Challenges, however, were not new to them. Their relationship, Ruby said, has always been grounded in calm, mutual understanding. “Sometimes, we look at our relationship, and we ask, ‘Bakit hindi tayo nag-aaway?’” she said with a smile. While misunderstandings inevitably arise, she believes nothing has ever been strong enough to shake what they’ve built.

The scriptural principles of communication, unity, and patience have been their compass: “Ang paguunawa sa isa’t isa, communication, and feedback hindi po sya optional for us, it’s essential.”

One of their most difficult moments came when their second child was rushed to the hospital while Ruby was out of town for work.

“Sinabi po sa amin ng doctor na dalin na po namin ang anak namin sa isang hospital na may complete apparatus dahil ‘yung pressure po, umakyat na sa utak niya at ‘di na po siya makakita. Malaking challenge po ‘yun dahil nasa malayo po ako at kailangan ng husband ko ‘yung support ko.”

Through it all, Ruby credits her husband’s unending faith and strength. After giving up his career to care for their family, he became the steady force that held them together.

“Sa aming dalawa po, siya po ang pinaka hands-on. It is my husband who serves as the family’s anchor. He is the one who provides advice and guidance to our children. Pati po sa akin, when I feel pressured at work, and it affects my mood, I lean on him,” she said.

“Faith po talaga ang naging foundation ng family namin. That is why intact o buo ‘yung family namin,” she added.

The Villablanca family with FTSFI executive director Mel Elido (second row, fifth from left) and the officiants of the wedding.

• The Philippines, alongside Vietnam, leads Southeast Asia (SEA) with the fastest growth in the Transport and Food Delivery sector, surging by 20% year-on-year (YoY).
• The country’s Online Media sector is expanding at a regional high of 16%, sharing the top spot for fastest growth with Indonesia and Vietnam.
• The Philippines boasts the second-fastest-growing Digital Payments sector in SEA at 20% growth, right behind Indonesia.
• The Philippines is in the top five SEA markets that rank among the global top 20 for interest in multimodal AI use

NOVEMBER 25, 2025, MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Philippine digital economy is sustaining powerful double-digit growth, remaining firmly on track to hit $36 billion in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) by 2025, according to the 10th edition of the e-Conomy SEA 2025 Report, titled “From Digital Decade to AI Reality: Accelerating the Future in ASEAN.”

Published by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company, the report highlights the country’s 16% YoY growth, which is driven by a vibrant ecosystem: innovative platforms, a tech-positive regulatory environment, and AI-curious consumers with increasing spending power. This momentum is driving a greater use of e-commerce, digital payments, and on-demand services across the country.

Driving double-digit growth across sectors

All key digital economy sectors are sustaining double-digit growth, and the e-commerce sector remains the largest contributor to the Philippines’ GMV, accounting for more than 60% of the overall digital economy.

• E-commerce and video commerce:Digital platforms are leveraging AI to refine user experience, leading to more personalized shopping journeys and sustaining robust growth within the sector. A big finding in this year’s e-Conomy SEA Report is that a major growth driver for the Philippines is video commerce, which is witnessing explosive growth in a high-volume, low-cost market. There are now around 475,000 sellers and stores utilizing video commerce, a 90% YoY growth from 2024, resulting in a transaction volume of 2 billion (+35% year-on-year). Video commerce also contributes significantly to overall e-commerce GMV, with 28% from fashion and accessories and 23% from beauty and personal care making up half of the total contribution from this category.
• Online Travel: As a result of the ongoing post-pandemic travel boom and recovery, the GMV and revenue from online travel in SEA has grown 11%to $51 billion GMV (across both flights and accommodations) and $24 billion revenue. This has influenced the Philippines with +14% growth YoY and $4 billion GMV from online travel in 2025. Aside from the recovery of travel, the increased GMV is also due to higher fares and prices across the board. As for where Southeast Asians are going, both foreign visa policies and tourism campaigns continue to influence plans and itineraries.
• Online Media: The GMV from online media across the region saw a double-digit jump of +14% from 2024, largely thanks to the growth from advertising (16% in 2025from 14% in 2024) and gaming (6% from 5%). The Philippines has the fastest-growing online media sector at +16% YoY, alongside Vietnam and Indonesia.
• Digital Financial Services (DFS):DFS also sees double-digit growth across all sectors (+19% for digital payments, +18% for digital lending, +24% for digital wealth, +16% for digital insurance), due to integrated offerings successfully catering to financially mature consumers across the region. The Philippine digital economy’s digital wealth sector grew by +36% while  insurance surged by +27%, notching $2 billion in assets under management (AUM) and $0.1 billion in AUM and gross written premium, The country also records the second-fastest growing digital payments sector at +20% and $150 billion gross transaction value, behind only Indonesia. 
• Transport & Food Delivery:The region continues to see steady GMV growth in food delivery, with +14% and $22 billion in GMV and +18% and $2.4 billion in revenue this year. It’s also the same story in transport, with +16% and $11.1 billion in GMV and +17% and $1.8 billion in revenue. The Philippines sits at the top alongside Vietnam as the fastest-growing transport and food sector at +20%. Operational efficiency, optimized logistics, and personalized service offerings—all powered by AI—are driving continued, disciplined growth as players focus on sustainable profitability.

Rapid AI adoption across the Philippine digital economy

When it comes to AI, one of the centers for real, rapid growth in usage is the Philippines, which is among the five Southeast Asian markets that rank in the top 20 global markets showing interest in multimodal AI—a type of AI that processes information from various data sources, typically text, images, audio, and video. Filipinos continue to show momentum when it comes to AI adoption:

• Widespread, regular use:AI is increasing its utility, with 78% of Filipino digital users saying they use AI-powered tools to help them discover content and make tasks easier. Meanwhile, 43% said that saving time on research and comparisons is the main motivation for using AI features.
• Active workforce adoption and upskilling:The report found that the enrollment growth in generative AI courses in the Philippines has grown 8X, the second highest in the region after Vietnam at 5.2X. 77% of Filipino workers have already taken steps to learn how to use AI tools, confirming the nation’s proactive stance on readiness and upskilling for the future of work.
• Booming commercial momentum and high trust: Strong consumer interest and adoption of AI are driving commercial momentum in the Philippines. Apps marketing their AI features have seen revenue surge by +79%, driven by the practical value that encourages Filipinos to upgrade their plans. These key benefits include saving time on research and comparisons, saving money through better deals, and gaining enhanced security and fraud protection. This widespread adoption is underpinned by 94%of Filipinos who said they are willing to share data access with AI agents (e.g., shopping and viewing history, social connections).

“The Philippines is a digital powerhouse, sustaining its double-digit growth and firmly on track to hit $36 billion in GMV by 2025. This momentum is not a temporary spike; it’s a sustained, systemic transformation—a convergence of innovative platforms, a tech-positive regulatory environment, and our uniquely AI-curious Filipinos consumers with real spending power. With digital adoption accelerating nationwide and reaching beyond major cities, the real story is that our digital economy is becoming truly ubiquitous, preparing us for the dawn of the new era: AI. The imperative now for the whole ecosystem is to partner together and strategically leverage this momentum to ensure that more Filipinos are well-equipped to reap the benefits of AI,” said Prep Palacios, Country Manager, Google Philippines.

“Southeast Asia’s digital economy has shown extraordinary growth and remarkable resilience, sustaining momentum despite periods of investor caution and a shifting macroeconomic landscape over the last decade. The Philippines remains one of the region’s fastest-growing digital economies, fueled by strong momentum in e-commerce, transport, and food delivery, and supported by a digitally confident population embracing digital payments and financial services, putting it on track to reach $36 billion in GMV by 2025. Growing consumer interest and adoption of AI signal the country’s readiness to turn digital momentum into long-term value creation. The real opportunity now lies in how businesses harness AI as a catalyst for impact while addressing the country’s unique structural realities,” said Bennett Aquino, Partner, Bain & Company.

Download the full e-Conomy SEA 2025 Report here.

***END***

About Google

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Google Cloud, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people. Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.

About Temasek

Temasek is a global investment company headquartered in Singapore, with a net portfolio value of S$434 billion (US$324b, €299b, £250b, RMB2.35t) as at 31 March 2025. Its Purpose “So Every Generation Prospers” guides it to make a difference for today’s and future generations. Temasek seeks to build a resilient and forward-looking portfolio that will deliver sustainable returns over the long term.

It has 13 offices in 9 countries around the world: Beijing, Hanoi, Mumbai, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Singapore in Asia; and Brussels, London, Mexico City, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and Washington, DC outside Asia.

About Bain & Company
Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world’s most ambitious change makers define the future. Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today’s urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a platinum rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 1% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.