Inquirer business reporter among PH’s top female mindgrabbers —Google

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine Daily Inquirer senior business reporter Doris Dumlao was among the top female Filipino mindgrabbers on the Internet in 2010, the local unit of Silicon Valley-based search giant Google.com said.

The results of Google’s yearend Zeitgeist, which means “spirit of the times” in German, showed that Dumlao placed 12th on a list of the country’s most influential women. The list was released earlier this week to mark the centennial celebration of International Women’s Day.

“As the country recognizes women’s rights and becomes more aware of gender equality, Google looks at the Filipina personalities that grabbed the greatest online mindshare in 2010,” the search engine company said in a statement.

Dumlao, who has been with the Inquirer for 13 years, ranked higher than any other journalist on the list, beating news anchor Korina Sanchez, who placed 19th.

She currently covers companies listed at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) as well as firms registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  She also covers the private banking sector.

“I’m humbled by this recognition, which is a testament not to myself but to keener public interest in Philippine business news as well as to the popularity of www.inquirer.net and particularly, our new business column, BizBuzz,” Dumlao said.

On top of Google’s list of most influential Filipino women was Valenzuela City 2nd District councilor Shalani Soledad, who made waves in 2010 as she supported her then-boyfriend Benigno Aquino III during the presidential campaign, up to their breakup later in the year.

Another often talked-about personality, Kris Aquino, landed second, likely because of her breakup with then-husband basketball star James Yap and questions about how her career might affect her brother’s presidency.

Other women in the top 10 were actress Ruffa Gutierrez, Miss Universe runner-up Venus Raj, teenage recording artist Charice Pempengco, actress Angel Locsin, singers Sarah Geronimo and Regine Velasquez, showbiz personality Heart Evangelista and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.

Tony Award-winning theater actress Lea Salonga was 11th on the list after making an on-stage comeback for the musical Cats.

Other prominent personalities on the list were actresses Sharon Cuneta (15th) and Nora Aunor (20th) and fashion designer Monique Lhuillier.

Google Zeitgeist uses data aggregated over millions of users without personally identifiable information, and is powered by computer algorithms. It shows results for search terms in google.com.ph that receive significant amount of traffic.