Duterte generates most buzz on Twitter

The Pinoy Twitter-verse was in full force on Sunday for the first presidential debate, with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte generating the most buzz during the two-hour event.

#PiliPinasDebates2016 dominated trending topics not only in the Philippines, but also worldwide.

Data from the social networking site showed that the tough-talking local executive was subject of some 322,000 tweets, or 35 percent of the discussion.

He was followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay (212,000 tweets or 27 percent), former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas (78,000 tweets or 14 percent), Sen. Grace Poe (69,000 tweets or 13 percent), and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago (65,000 tweets or 11 percent).

Most tweeted moments

Duterte's "best friends" exchange with Santiago during the first round of questioning was his most tweeted moment. Here, he defended the senator over health concerns and said he sees her living for another 20 years.

Binay's most tweeted moment came from his confrontation with Roxas, when the issue of illegal drugs bled to allegations of "indecisive" governance and a "poor" Makati City.

Roxas captured Twitter users most in an exchange with his "frenemy," Duterte, who said the "tuwid na daan" (straight path) that the administration bet is boasting about is "kulubot" (wrinkled).

For Poe, it was her proposal to provide free lunches in public schools, as part of her solution to ensure food security in the country.

Santiago, meanwhile, got the most number of tweets when she spoke of the need for the next president to have "academic, professional, and moral excellence."

Discussion on #PiliPinasDebates2016 peaked at past 6:30 p.m., around the time that Roxas and Binay found themselves in a verbal tussle over the country's perennial drug problem.

Where tweets came from

#PiliPinasDebates2016 garnered most tweets from Metro Manila and nearby areas.

Significant number of tweets were also seen at Bacolod and nearby provinces there, as well as in the debate's host city, Cagayan de Oro.