Google reveals the top ten destinations for Pinoy travelers

Google has compiled the top ten destinations that travelers in the Philippines are heading to based on Google Flights. These destinations saw the highest query volume for the months of June to August 2024:

 

Top 10 destinations on Google Flight Searches
Manila Caticlan Tokyo Cebu Hong Kong	Bangkok Singapore Taipei Seoul Del Carmen

 

The Philippines hottest travel activity trends:

Forget cookie-cutter vacations, this year Pinoy travelers are rewriting the rulebook on holiday adventures. Google Search trends reveal a fascinating evolution in how Filipino travelers are exploring the world, with a focus on experiences that nourish the soul, indulge the senses, and leave a lasting legacy. 

Here's what's making waves in 2024:

 

1. Immersive Cultural Experiences: 

Travelers are looking to build deeper connections with the destinations they visit, by seeking opportunities for more enriching cultural exchanges. Exploration of local cuisines is an emerging trend. Local food tours are popular in Asia-Pacific with 7 out of the top 10 countries coming from the region, with the Philippines not far behind.

 

2. Nature-based travel and sustainability:
Interest in tree planting and travel is booming globally — with the Philippines amongst the top 10 most-interested countries — which shows a desire to give back as part of peoples’ stays.

3. AI upgrading travel:
Travelers are turning to AI to help plan their trips and get help while they’re on-the-go. AI searches related to travel are also at a near all-time high globally and the same is true in the Philippines.

The shift toward more diverse tourism in the Philippines is likely fueled by factors like rising costs, a post-pandemic desire for authentic connection, and a growing awareness of sustainability. It will be fascinating to see how these trends evolve, but it’s great to see Filipinos exploring new ways of traveling.

 

Google is sharing more insights and internet safety practices

The Philippines is among the top in the world searching for the keywords “malinformation” (top 1), “cybercrime” (top 4),“phishing” (top 7), “malware” (top 5), “fraud” (reached a 13-year high in search volume), “scam” (up by 40% vs. 2022, a 17-year high), “one-time password” (top 10), and “password strength” (top 8).

 

These trends are a reflection of the evolving internet landscape and the netizens' rising interest in cybersecurity. This Safer Internet Day and beyond, Google is sharing more insights and internet safety practices to help you stay protected online: 

● Install the latest OS and updates. Turn on auto-updates for your device and web browser and don’t ignore the warnings or notifications. Aside from performance improvements, it's crucial to run the latest updates for security enhancements and protection against new threats. If you’re using an Android device, make sure your Google Play Protect is also automatically turned on to protect your phone and data from malicious apps and harmful behavior. 

● Use Password Manager. Google Password Manager is a free, built-in tool that helps you create, store, and manage secure passwords for all your online accounts. In addition to the convenience of logging into websites and apps faster and easier with autofill, it analyzes your saved passwords for weaknesses (like reuse across accounts) or if they've been exposed in data breaches so you can take the right action. 

● Secure your accounts with passkeys. Passkeys, like fingerprints or face ID, offer a simple but secure alternative or another layer to passwords. They can keep your accounts safe against phishing since they are stored on your device. 

● Run regular Security Checkups. Google Security Checkup is a simple, step-by-step tool within your Google Account that helps you review and improve your online security. This helps you identify and fix potential security vulnerabilities across your digital properties from connected devices to third party apps access before problems arise. 

● Review your data settings: Run a deeper checkup to see whether all your apps and accounts are above-board. Make sure you’re not sharing any data you’re not really comfortable giving away, and look through each app and site to see if you’re okay with their terms and conditions, and settings.

● Avoid suspicious links. Take a moment before clicking any online or SMS links. Double-check their legitimacy, and if anything seems off, report them immediately.

● Don’t give in to pressure: Scams and frauds, whether they’re online, over the phone, or in person, rely on you getting pressured, nervous, and careless to work. When you feel like you’re being rushed to make a decision, if it seems unusual, stop, take a moment, and assess the situation. You don’t have to do anything just yet—and if you’re not allowed to pause, something may not be right.

● Check the facts. Before posting or sharing, verify first the information you see online and ensure it’s from a trusted source. Using Google Search, check the way it’s written or said, who shared it, and other details about the post. 

 

Check out safety.google for more information, tools, and resources about internet safety.

Bard: Your Culinary Companion - Google AI Joins You in the Kitchen!

When it’s raining and gloomy outside, you just want to cuddle in bed and remain in your pajamas. It’s also the perfect weather to indulge in comfort food to warm us.

 

But what to cook? Well, just as AI can boost your productivity at work, it can also bring new ideas to your home life — particularly the kitchen. Meet Bard, Google’s AI. Available in over 40 languages, Bard can supercharge your imagination, boost your productivity, and help you bring new ideas into your daily life—whether you want help planning a party and drafting the invitation, or understanding really complex topics.

 

As for the kitchen, Bard can make recommendations and actual recipes because it has the ability to digest vast amounts of data, including food trends and ingredient combinations. Then the algorithms analyze this information to develop an understanding of flavor profiles and popular dishes.

 

AI does not replace humans in creating recipes, of course. But haven’t you ever been undecided on what to cook? Especially for parents or guardians cooking for their families, trying to come up with a menu can be time-consuming and a challenge, especially with picky kids. Well, Bard is here to complement your kitchen adventures and spark inspiration.

 

So we tested Bard — and you can too! — and asked Bard what to come up with 30-minute recipes for rainy days. We’re impressed with the diverse dishes it returned, more so that these can be whipped up in half an hour. All you have to do on your end is to simply ask it; prompts like “What healthy recipes can I cook on a rainy day?” will be enough.

  

Will Bard get it right? Well, the proof is in the pudding — or in this case, in four dishes. To give you an idea of what it can come up with, here are some of Bard’s rainy-day suggestions:

 

●      Chicken Noodle Soup: This classic comfort food is perfect and unbeatable for a rainy day. It's easy to make and can be customized to your liking.

●      Beef Stroganoff: While not on everyone’s common rainy-day comfort food checklist, this hearty beef dish is sure to warm you up on a rainy day. It’s also easy to make and can be served over rice or noodles.

●      Pasta with Pesto Sauce: Got some leftover pesto sauce, as well as some pasta lying around? This quick and easy dish is also a great way to use up leftover pesto in a pinch, as all you have to do is boil the noodles and top it with the delicious sauce.

●      Veggie Omelette: Or maybe you’re feeling like eggs. You can go healthy with this particular recipe that uses veggies as a filler in a hot and fluffy omelette, which is ideal for colder days.

●      Grilled Salmon with Roasted Vegetables: There’s nothing like fish, too. If you’ve got some salmon in your freezer, thaw it out and throw it in the pan with some vegetables for a scrumptious and fishy rainy-day treat.

 

There are so many more recipes waiting for you when you ask Bard—you just have to know what to ask. It doesn’t even have to be for rainy days; you can ask for recipes and suggestions for all occasions. 

 

Want to see what Bard has to show you? Try it yourself by clicking here.

Google celebrates legendary Filipina writer Paz Marquez-Benitez on her 129th birthday with her very own Google Doodle

 

On March 3, Google celebrates legendary Filipina writer Paz Marquez-Benitez on her 129th birthday with her very own Google Doodle, in honor of her pioneering work in literature.

 

Marquez-Benitez, a renowned Filipino author, is famous for her work Dead Stars, the first-ever modern short story in English from the Philippines. The Doodle features an illustration of Marquez-Benitez set against a field of shining stars, calling back to the title of the short story.

 

Framed as a somber and melancholic love story of the engaged lawyer Alfredo Salazar and the young and charming Julia Salas, Dead Stars is a deeper allegory critical of the American occupation and its effect on local culture and social norms.

 

Marquez-Benitez would go on to become a popular writing professor at the University of the Philippines until her retirement in 1951. Her work and tutelage at UP encouraged and inspired many other highly regarded writers over the decades. On top of this, she also founded what is now the Philippine Women’s University, advancing the cause of women’s education in the country.

 

“Google Philippines is proud to honor an important figure in Philippine literature, Paz Marquez-Benitez. Our rich literary heritage would definitely not be the same today without Marquez-Benitez’s impactful contributions, not only with her creations, but also with her valuable mentorship of a long line of writers in the country,” said Mervin Wenke, Head of Communications and Public Affairs for Google Philippines.

 

You can view the Doodle on March 3 by visiting google.com, as well as http://www.google.com/doodles/paz-marquez-benitezs-129th-birthday. 

Here are some tips and features you can use to keep yourself and your family safe online

With the right security tools, you can keep your self and your family online.

As more people use the internet in everyday activities, it’s no wonder that online safety is increasingly becoming top priority for many Filipinos.

According to Google Trends, the Philippines was among the Top 3 countries and territories in the world searching for Computer Virus and Computer Emergency Response Team in 2022. Search interest for Computer Virus, in particular, reached a 10-year high in the country last year.

The country was also among the top 5 countries and territories in the world that searched for the following topics: “phishing,” “Trojan Horse,” “privacy,” “private browsing,” “Identity Theft,” “Malware,” “Internet Safety,” “Cyber Bullying,” and “Email Spoofing.”

The top-trending cyber security topics in Philippines in 2022 were:

Malware Scanner

WinNuke

Computer Virus

Password Manager

Computer Security

Rootkit

Email Bomb

Random Password Generator

Data Breach

Trojan Horse

 

Features and tools for online safety

 

These searches show how Filipinos are now more concerned about online safety more than ever. Google, in its mission to ensure that everyone is safe online, has implemented and introduced various security measures and features that can be used to secure your accounts and keep them away from malicious actors.

 

“Keeping people safe online is so important to Google. We deliver on this commitment by providing safe and secure products to help people get the best of technology. Every Google product is secure by default with security and protections built-in for everyone,” said Mervin Wenke, Head of Communication and Public Affairs at Google Philippines. 

Here are some tips and features you can use to keep yourself and your family safe online.

 

Use strong passwords: Passwords truly do matter, and yes, password managers are your best bet to secure your accounts. Google Password Manager helps you create unique passwords that are hard to crack, store them all for you instead of you writing them down,  alert you if your credentials have been compromised by a breach and if you are entering them into malicious websites.

Google checks 1 billion passwords for breaches, daily.

 

Make sure you’re going to legit sites: Be on your toes when you spot suspicious emails, texts, or phone calls from sources pretending to be from your bank, stores you frequent, or even a friend, as these can contain phishing links designed to steal sensitive data and information. While URLs and HTTPS are a great indicator of whether the website you're visiting is legit, it’s always best to avoid directly clicking on a link; instead, type in the URL. If you do click a link, hover over it first, as sometimes this can indicate it’s going to take you to a malicious site instead. 

 

For a safer internet browsing experience, it’s more ideal to use Google Chrome and always ensure there is a grey locked icon in the URL field, which will indicate a secure connection. Also make sure the sites you visit include HTTPS, which confirms your browser or app is securely connected to the website you’re visiting.

Globally, Google protects Gmail users from nearly 15 billion unwanted messages a day, blocking more than 99.9% of spam, phishing and malware.

In the first half of November, Google blocked over 231 billion spam and phishing messages globally, 10% higher than the average volume.

Today, over 5 billion devices are automatically protected by Safe Browsing technology.

 

Get extra protection with 2-step verification. You can take a Security Checkup which is a step-by-step process for addressing personalized security recommendations, including: enrolling in 2-step verification for an extra layer of security at sign-in, setting up your account in the event you need to recover it, managing risky apps, and more. A simple step helps strengthen your Google Account security.

In 2021, Google successfully auto-enabled 2SV for over 150 million people, and also required it for over 2 million of YouTube creators. As a result of this effort, Google has seen a 50% decrease in accounts being compromised among those users.

 

Be in control of your online privacy. Keeping your activity private is one of the most important things you can do as an internet user. Google can easily help you set up your privacy settings on your Google account with Privacy Checkup, making sure your online activity and data are well-protected from anyone you don’t want seeing it. This also goes a long way in controlling and personalizing the online ads and content you see as you browse, which you can set and customize in My Ad Center as well.

 

Protect your devices: Our devices are connected to so many things, so securing them is essential. Make sure you’re applying security updates and patches and not ignoring those notifications, they’re crucial to closing open doors to attackers that vulnerabilities open up. When installing apps, ensure they’re from trusted sources. Again, unique passcodes are key. Don’t reuse codes across your devices, because in the event one gets accessed, they all could be.

Google Play Protect scans billions of apps and continually updates to make sure you’re getting ones that are vetted through scanning. 

 

Go to safety.google to know more on how you can be safer and more secure online.

Protecting children online is important with Google

Our goal is to keep children safer online by providing them with accurate and useful information, protecting their privacy and helping them stay safe on the internet.

 

Most of the world is now online, even children. While access to the internet is beneficial for a child’s growth and development, it is not without risks–bad actors prey on the internet and children may unwittingly access age-inappropriate content. 

 

Google, in its mission to promote digital responsibility and internet safety, has a slew of simple tools and solutions that provide parents an easy way to protect their children online. Here are some of these: 

Be Internet Awesome. Google and PLDT Home launched a partnership to teach more kids in the Philippines how to be safer and more responsible online. 

 

Family Link

Family Link is a parental controls app that allows parents to manage their child’s account and data settings. By linking the devices the children are using, parents can set screen timeouts, keep track of their digital activity, help change or reset their passwords if they forget it, guide them towards age-appropriate content, edit their personal information, or even delete their account if they feel it necessary.

 

Be Internet Awesome

Be Internet Awesome is a program and a portal that teaches children the importance of digital responsibility. Through its interactive games, downloadable modules, and an online show, parents, educators, and kids learn how to be smart, alert, brave, kind, and strong online.

 

Lessons include sharing responsibly, being kind online, recognizing red flags and scams, securing personal information and privacy, and communicating their online concerns with a trusted adult.

 

YouTube Kids

As its name suggests, YouTube Kids, is the kid-friendly version of the video sharing platform. It uses a mix of automated filters built by YouTube’s engineering teams, human reviews, and feedback from parents so only age-appropriate content will be available for viewing.

 

Supervised Experience on YouTube

For families with teens and tweens, YouTube Kids may be too young for their growing minds. This is why YouTube introduced the supervised experience. The feature allows young viewers to watch content from the regular app–YouTube and YouTube Music–but under parental supervision and control.

 

With a supervised account, parents select a content setting that limits the videos and music children under 13 can find and play. Supervised accounts also change the features they can use, the default account settings, and the ads they see. 

 

Google Play Kids

The Google Play Store is host to millions and millions of apps from around the world and it can be hard to find apps that are not only fun but also educational for growing children. This is why the Play Store introduced the Kids category that presents a curated selection of teacher-approved apps for various age groups.

 

Here, children can learn a new language, early math skills, and play games that are appropriate for their age.

 

SafeSearch

SafeSearch is a setting you can toggle on and off using your Google account. It helps you filter explicit content from your Google Search results. Explicit results include sexually explicit content like pornography, violence, and gore.

 

This is helpful for parents who want to keep their children’s searches safe while allowing them to explore the breadth of content available online.

 

Go to safety.google to know more on how you can be safer and more secure online. 

 

Celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit with this cute Google Doodle. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

 

The Lunar New Year is upon us. On this day, we bid farewell to the year of the brave tiger and welcome the year of the patient rabbit.

 

The beginning of the Lunar New Year is also called Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival–a time to honor family, deities, and ancestors. In celebration of the New Year, Google announced a new Year of the Rabbit Doodle.

 

The Doodle features a running rabbit made from traditional paper cutting surrounded by plum blossoms (symbolizing endurance and hope), and a bonsai tree (symbolizing harmony and patience). Google is spelled out using lanterns, signifying a wish for a better future, and ang pao, the red envelope symbolizing a wish for happiness and blessings.

 

2023 is the Year of the Water Rabbit. The Rabbit is the fourth animal in the Chinese Zodiac and is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity.

 

Those born in the year of the Water Rabbit are said to be easy-going and agreeable. Chinese Astrology predicts that with the Rabbit’s qualities, the year 2023 will bring peace and success, something that may have been lacking in the year of the Tiger.

Celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit with this cute Google Doodle. Gong Xi Fa Cai!