Jessica Sanchez, NBA, Sarah Geronimo top '12 Yahoo! PHL searches

Filipino-American American Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez, the National Basketball Association season, and singer Sarah Geronimo topped Yahoo! Philippines' searches for 2012. In its Year In Review (YIR), Yahoo! Philippines said celebrities dominated its search list for 2012, affirming Filipinos' fascination with entertainment and showbiz, as well as music. "The top searches on Yahoo! in 2012 were American Idol runner-up 'Jessica Sanchez' followed by 'NBA,' Filipina music star 'Sarah Geronimo,' 'Anne Curtis' and 'American Idol,'” it said. Others topping the 2012 list had been linked to scandals that kept users trying to find out the latest developments. These included Angelica Panganiban’s break up with boyfriend Derek Ramsey, Marian Rivera’s cover photo in the April issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, Grace Lee dating President Benigno Aquino III, and KC Concepcion and Bianca Gonzales’ photo shoots in men’s magazines. Jessica Sanchez The 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez topped this year's searches on Yahoo!, winning the hearts of her fellow Filipinos. "Jessica also ignited the interest of Pinoys who logged on to Yahoo! to search for American Idol and stay updated on her progress on the weekly charts. Keyword searches for 'american idol 2012 winner,' 'american idol top 2,' 'american idol 2012 jessica sanchez' and 'who won the american idol 2012' spiked this year to an all time high making the reality TV singing competition the 5th most searched query on Yahoo!," Yahoo said. On second spot was the NBA, which retained its top three position in the annual search results for the past three years. Geronimo was the third most-searched person this year, with searches peaking near her concert last July 7. Curtis, who clinched OMG! Celeb of the Year Award last July, was the fourth most searched person on YIR’s 2012 list, particularly after news broke out about her making a debut in a Hollywood film "Blood Ransom." Panganiban became the fifth most-searched celebrity following her break-up with Ramsey, although she was sixth in the top 10 search queries list, where "American Idol" grabbed fifth spot. On the other hand, Rivera gained seventh spot in the list for her bold cover photo in the April issue of Cosmopolitan magazine made her a top trending search topic for 2012. Users also searched for Rivera's verbal spat with Bela Padilla from last year as well as her photos on FHM where Marian ranked fifth in the 100 Sexiest Women in the World list. Korean-born TV presenter and DJ Grace Lee became an item for dating President Aquino, but interest in their dating fizzled out. She placed eighth on the list. Ninth was Concepcion for her Rogue Magazine cover shoot, while Bianca Gonzalez finished 10th after going topless for Esquire magazine.   Trending topics Topping the list of trending topics was #Amalayer – student Paula Jamie Salvosa, who was caught on video confronting a guard of the Light Rail Transit. Salvosa earned flak for the incident. Second on the list was Robert Blair Carabuena, who was caught on video physically assaulting a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority officer. Third was #Sinotto, a term coined by netizens to needle Senate majority leader Vicente Sotto III over his alleged plagiarism. Fourth was the fight between Claudine Barretto and husband Raymart Santiago against columnist Ramon Tulfo and his brothers, which stemmed from an airport brawl involving Santiago and Ramon Tulfo. Fifth was Noemi Lagman, the missing girl who was reunited with her family with help from social media. Sixth was Noynoying, a term coined by militants to mean doing nothing. Seventh was Anti-epal, a term coined to criticize officials who insist on plastering their names or images in public places to advance their political careers. Eighth was "hero dog" Kabang, which saved two young girls from being run over by a motorbike but lost her snout and upper jaw in the process. Ninth was "Batangas," a reported plan to set up a Hollywood-style signage on Taal Volcano that became the butt of online jokes. Tenth was Zendee Rose Tenerefe, the “random girl” belting out a tune at a mall. Her video posted on YouTube landed her a recording contract and an invitation to the Ellen DeGeneres show. Newsmakers 1. Ronald Llamas, the presidential political adviser who a newspaper editor caught buying pirated DVDs in Quezon City. 2. the late former presidential brother-in-law and Negros Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr., who succumbed to a liver ailment in London. 3. impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona, the first such official to be stripped of his post after a Senate impeachment court found him guilty. 4. former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo, whose arrest, hospitalization and failed attempts to seek medication abroad made her one of the top news makers of the year. 5. the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who died in a plane crash last August. 6. Senate majority leader Vicente Sotto III, who was accused of plagiarism amid debates on the Reproductive Health bill. 7. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who was accused of working for Beijing in a territorial dispute between the Philippines and China over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. 8. new Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was appointed as being the youngest appointed Chief Justice. 9. University of the Philippines College of Law dean Mario Victor Leonen, the chief government negotiator who hammered out a framework peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He was appointed as Supreme Court associate justice. 10. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who led the impeachment trial of Renato Corona. Travel 1. Puerto Princesa Underground River, declared as one of the new 7 wonders of the world. 2. Manila, which became the new favorite travel destination on Trip Advisor. 3. Cebu, new things to experience. 4. Baguio, favorite summer destination. 5. Tagaytay, Taal Lake view. 6. Potipot Island, the small island in Zambales was the most searched. 7. Calaguas, virgin island. 8. Camarines Sur, water sports destination. 9. Boracay, party place. 10. Siquijor, unlikely destination — LBG, GMA News