Hayden Kho top of mind for Pinoy Google users

CEBU, Philippines - Wonder who among the bevy of stars and celebrities are on the minds of Internet-savvy Filipinos this year?

According to Google, controversial celebrity (ex) doctor Hayden Kho is among the popular search engine’s most-searched items in the Philippines this 2009.

Google released on Tuesday its 2009 Year-End Zeitgeist report, which said it represents what was on the minds of most Pinoy Internet users in the past 11 months.

Kho, who found himself at the center of a sex video scandal mid of this year which also caused the revocation of his medical license, was Google’s “top personality that gave a face to the year 2009.” One of his partners in the allegedly leaked videos, model-actress Maricar Reyes, came second to the networking site Facebook in the top 10 fastest rising queries in the Philippines.

Among the other stars and celebrities who made it to the different top 10 lists drawn up by Google are the late Francis Magalona and the newcomer Carla Abellana. The actor formerly known as Rustom Padilla (now known as Bebe Gandanghari), as well as Korean stars such as Sandara Park, who started her showbiz career in the Philippines prior to making it big in her own home country via the pop group 2NE1, and Kim Bum of “Boys Over Flowers” fame, who came to the Philippines last October to shoot a TV commercial, were also favorite items in Google searches. See separate box for complete list.

Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao is the only male athlete to make it to the global round-up of the 10 Most Searched Sports Teams/Athletes for 2009 by Google. With him are NBA team L.A. Lakers, American football team Dallas Cowboys, as well as tennis superstars Anna Kournikova and Serena Williams.