Paul Walker dominates Google PH 2013 searches

MANILA – The late American actor Paul Walker dominated this year’s online searches in the country, according to Google Philippines.

Walker ranked first in four categories, including top overall searches, in Google Philippines’ “zeitgeist” or collection of search queries for 2013.

The actor, who died in a car crash last November 30, also topped the search engine giant’s list of top news, newsmakers and people for the year.

Several fans, including Filipinos, paid tribute to the actor on various social media sites hours after finding out about his death.

Local personalities who figured prominently in Google Philippines’ zeitgeist this year include actress Neri Naig, who was involved in a sex scandal with singer Chito Miranda; EB Babe member Yosh, who was also part of a leaked sex video with comedian Wally Bayola; beauty queen Ariella Arida, who won third runner-up in the Miss Universe 2013 pageant; Megan Young, the Philippines’ first Miss World 2013 titlist; Freddie Aguilar, the 60-year-old singer who tied the knot with a 16-year-old girl; Krista Miller, who was allegedly in a relationship with actor Cesar Montano, who is married; and Alyssa Quijano, the girlfriend of singer Charice.

“Zeitgeist is a tool in discovering the pulse of the people through searches made on Google. With the growing percentage of population going online, Zeitgeist becomes reflective of the issues and topics we’re interested in. This year’s list speak a lot about our concern for national achievement and progress, while at the same time our curiosity in pop culture issues,” Gail Tan, Google Philippines country communications manager, said in a statement.

Here are some of Google Philippines’ top searches for the year:

Top overall

Paul Walker
Samsung Galaxy S4
Movies 2013
Onehitcf
Camera 360
PAL Express
Neri Naig
Miss Universe 2013
EB Babe Yosh
iPhone 5s

News

Paul Walker death
Miss Universe 2013
Pork barrel
FIBA Asia 2013
Election results 2013
SONA 2013
UAAP Season 76
Typhoon Yolanda
Wimbledon 2013
Nelson Mandela death

Newsmakers

Paul Walker
Cory Monteith
Ariella Arida
Pope Francis
Megan Young
Devina Dediva
Nancy Binay
Janet Napoles
Gilas Pilipinas
Nelson Mandela

People

Paul Walker
Neri Naig
EB Babe Yosh
Cory Monteith
Wally Bayola
Ariella Arida
Kevin Ware
Pope Francis
Chito Miranda
Megan Young

Local celebrities

Neri Naig
EB Babe Yosh
Wally Bayola
Ariella Arida
Chito Miranda
Megan Young
Freddie Aguilar girlfriend
Totoy Brown
Krista Miller
Alyssa Quijano

TV shows

The Voice of the Philippines
Got to Believe
Queen and I
Missing You
Juan dela Cruz
Maria Mercedes
Wowowillie
The Innocent Man
The Heirs
ANTM Cycle 20

Movies

Pacific Rim
Despicable Me 2
World War 2
Insidious 2
Warm Bodies
Beautiful Creatures
After Earth
Silver Linings Playbook
Pitch Perfect
The Croods

Music

Harlem Shake
Gentleman
Titanium
Lord Patawad
Magkabilang Mundo
Gwiyomi
Chinito
Heart Attack
Wrecking Ball
Daylight

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Filipino racers in US recall Paul Walker's kindness

SANTA CLARITA, California - It was a day of mourning in Santa Clarita, as thousands visited the site of where movie star Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas died from a car crash last week.

There was a "Fast & Furious" viewing, a motorcade and a car show featuring cars from the hit film series.

Filipinos were among the thousands who paid tribute to Walker, who earned a cult following for his role in the "Fast & Furious" films.

"We're movie fans. We stopped by pay tribute and homage (to Walker)," Noel del Barrio of Montclair said.

"Paul walker had a big impact... So we're just paying our respects," Leighton Villanueva of Lancaster said.

Some Filipino racers, who met Walker at the race tracks, say the actor lived the life he depicted on the big screen.

"I raced with Paul Walker a few years back. We actually shared track time. We'd see each other every so often on the track," Marlon Daraco of San Diego said.

Daraco recalled that whenever Walker was at the tracks, he would come by the pits and talk with them.

Despite being a Hollywood star, they said Walker was down-to-earth.

"I met him. He's a real cool dude, he's a nice guy. It's sad he had to go out that way," Jerwin Sanchez of San Diego said.

Walker was attending a Philippine typhoon relief event held by his non-profit organization Reach Out Worldwide, when the Porsche he was riding in, driven by friend and business partner Rodas crashed into this tree and burst into flames.

Countless candles and tributes have collected on the sidewalk since the fatal accident. Just days before his untimely death, he released a video message rallying help for typhoon Yolanda victims.

"It feels good that he raised awareness and decided to try to help us out. It kills me that he's gone but I know he's in a better place," Daraco said.

A Filipno couple said their charity organization plans on honoring Walker by naming a village in his honor.

"The Gawad Kalinga leaders responded very well and would like to build a legacy village for Paul Walker to honor him because Paul Walker died after raising funds for the victims of typhoon Yolanda," Luzvaminda Macbalo from Las Vegas said.

As police continue investigating the fatal crash, close friends and family are still planning a "special" funeral for the 40-year-old actor.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Speed a factor in crash that killed Paul Walker

LOS ANGELES -- Speed played a role in the one-car crash that killed "The Fast and the Furious" actor Paul Walker in Southern California on Saturday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

Walker, 40, was a passenger in the red 2005 Porsche Carrera GT that crashed into a utility pole and burst into flames in the city of Santa Clarita on Saturday afternoon.

"Speed was a factor in the solo vehicle collision," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

Deputy Mark Pope said the accident was under investigation and he did not know how fast the car was going.

The Los Angeles Times identified the driver as Roger Rodas, 38, a friend of Walker's who owned Always Evolving, an auto dealership and racing services company.

The sheriff's department would not confirm that. The company could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

In a message on its Facebook page, the company posted a message that said, "Thank you all for your condolences and prayers while we mourn the loss of our loved ones."

The blond-haired, blue-eyed Walker was in five of the six "The Fast and the Furious" films about illegal street racing and heists. A seventh installment was in development, according to Universal, the studio behind the franchise.

Walker played law enforcement official Brian O'Conner in the movie series.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'Fast and Furious' star Walker killed in car crash

American actor Paul Walker, best known for his roles in the "Fast and the Furious" action movies, died on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in a car crash in Southern California, his publicist said.

Walker, 40, who was in five of the six films about illegal street racing and heists, was a passenger in a friend's car and was attending a charity event, according to a message linked to his Twitter account.

"Sadly, I must confirm that Paul did pass away this afternoon in a car accident," Ame Van Iden, Walker's publicist, said in an email.




The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement that two people were killed in a car accident in Valencia, a community in the city of Santa Clarita, at about 3:30 p.m.

Deputies arriving at the scene found the vehicle engulfed in flames. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene, the statement said. The office did not provide the identities of the dead, and said the cause was under investigation.

In the "Fast and Furious" pictures, the blond-haired, blue-eyed actor played Brian O'Conner, a law enforcement official.

The first movie in the series, which stars Vin Diesel, was released in 2001, and a seventh was in development at the time of his death, Universal, the studio behind the franchise, said in a statement. The most recent film, released in May, was one of this year's biggest box office hits.

"Brother I will miss you very much," Diesel said in a post on Instagram, adding: "I am absolutely speechless. Heaven has gained a new Angel. Rest in Peace."

According to the IMDb.com movie website, Paul William Walker IV was born in Glendale, California, in 1973 and began acting at a very young age, appearing in many commercials. He played Professor Bennet in the 1987 movie "Monster in the Closet" and starred in the television series "Throb," IMDb said.

Walker also made guest appearances on television shows, including "Charles in Charge" and "Who's the Boss?" and had a role in the soap opera, "The Young and the Restless."

Other film appearances include "Timeline," "Into the Blue," "The Lazarus Project" and "Hours," which is slated for release in December.

According to IMDb, Walker has a daughter named Meadow.

Universal conveyed its condolences to Walker's family, saying, "All of us at Universal are heartbroken.

"Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the Fast and Furious films, and to countless fans."

More tributes flowed on social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

"So sad. He gave a lot of joy," wrote James Franco, while model/actor Tyson Beckford posted "Tyson Beckford: RIP Paul Walker, loved working with you on "Into the Blue."

Television host Carson Daly said that he was "Sick about the tragic loss of #PaulWalker. I enjoyed our time together very much. Such a really nice guy," while actress Alyssa Milano, current host of "Project Runway All Stars," protested "No. No. No" before adding "Rest with the angels."

Celebrity website TMZ first reported that Walker and another person was killed after the Porsche GT they were riding lost control and slammed into either a tree or a post, and subsequently burst into flames and exploded.

Sources told TMZ that Walker was in Santa Clarita for a car show meant to raise funds for the relief efforts for the survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) in the Philippines.

Earlier this week, members of the "Fast and the Furious" cast, including Walker, reached out to their fans in an effort to raise awareness of as well as assistance for the victims of "Yolanda" in the Philippines.

It was Walker who spoke on behalf of the group.

“The needs are gonna be extensive for a long period of time. So basically, we are reaching out to the fans. We love Manila -- we were there last year, they received us with open arms. We love the Philippines,” Walker in the video.

On Sunday, Malacañang took note of Walker's fund-raising activities for the typhoon survivors in the country.

In a text message, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said: “We mourn the death of actor Paul Walker while in California where he raised funds for Filipinos who suffered much in the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda's onslaught.”

“Filipinos admire him for his artistic talents and will honor his memory for his humanitarian compassion and solidarity in our time of need,” Coloma added. -- With report from Reuters

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com