With 2026 in full swing and all the year-end recaps done, it’s easy to think we’ve covered all the important stuff. But see, with 525,600 minutes in a year, there just are wayyyy too many things that happened in 2025 for the news cycle to cover enough for us to really take notice. What things are we talking about? Well, things like…

8. The relatively quiet passing of celebrities like Ricky Davao, Red Sternberg, and Kuhol

In the middle of high-profile passings such as Juan Ponce Enrile and Freddie Aguilar, we also bid goodbye to veteran actor Ricky Davao, TGIS heartthrob Red Sternberg, and the legendary comedian Kuhol. It’s an inevitable thing, unfortunately. We tend to miss stuff like this, and as sad as it is to recognize their passing, it’s also the least we could do: to honor what they brought to the table, and in the case of the likes of these three plus a host of other celebrities who were barely given any time by our relentless news cycle, one entry like this would not nearly be enough to cover it.

Thank you, and goodbye.

7. It’s not just AI that developed by leaps and bounds this year.

Sometimes scientists use enhanced-color images to reveal subtle variations on the surface of Mars. This view from our Mars Odyssey orbiter highlights details in clouds hovering over canyons in the Margaritifer Terra region in December. More from Odyssey: https://t.co/EouBe2Uve9 pic.twitter.com/K2XltELRCA

— NASA Mars (@NASAMars) August 27, 2025

AI is, of course, the biggest topic du jour in the tech world, but have you heard about the fact that there were seasonal ozone layers found on Mars, and even ancient clay? Is Marvin just around the corner? Guess we’ll find out sooner than later.

6. ABS-CBN was headed back to its “original home”

Well, maybe not, but the Kapamilya Channel is, as of January 2, once again airing on channel 2, which means that we’ve come full circle. ABS-CBN content is now once again airing on the frequency it used before it lost its license, though under the All TV banner. Just when you thought Philippine TV was on its way to a downward trend, this happens, and it’s a situation that bears watching.

5. Taal needs to be constantly monitored

We take it for granted, and we were a bit focused on earthquakes more than volcanoes, but there was a lot of minor but concerning activity in Taal throughout 2025, and let’s face it: the more seismic activity there is, the more we should also be wary of volcanic activity. They kinda go hand in hand.

4. Our online activism actually… worked?

Remember when several creators railed against online gambling? Guess what? That led to a change not just in the rules and regulations governing how that industry is marketed, but even in literal legislation that makes this harder. Gambling addiction has become a worldwide issue, and its alarming ease of access in the Philippines was thankfully addressed, although we have a long way to go.

3. It was one of the hottest years on record

Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the hottest years ever recorded. Also, the three-year warming average has crossed the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times set in the 2015 Paris Agreement for the first time. pic.twitter.com/3vMzJ75ve1

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 29, 2025

One of the three hottest years, in fact, and given that this is the Philippines, we didn’t really notice. But it’s real, and climate change remains an issue we aren’t doing nearly enough about.

2. The Philippines actually exited the FATF’s “Dirty Money List”

Is this a big deal, seeing our country leave the Financial Action Task Force’s Dirty Money List? Yes, because in the middle of us finally taking a united stand against corruption, we are slowly making progress towards a major financial and governance milestone that got very little attention, yet has long-term implications on us moving forward.

1. Possibly the peak of podcasting in the Philippines

Podcasts are bigger than ever, but how many of them are new? Exactly. We might have just hit the peak of podcasting, and it will become harder and harder for newer podcasts to just come in and take the country by storm moving forward. The irony is, there are so many podcast formats we don’t even bother with locally that are ripe for the picking. Who knows? Our own Serial, maybe? Still, just having a bunch of friends in front of a mic and talking is no longer an easy way to get your brand out there. It never was, but it just got a whole lot harder.

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