2026 Filipino Media Consumption Trends

Filipinos have always been heavy media consumers, but what’s interesting now is how those habits are settling into something more predictable, and at the same time, more demanding. We’re now jumping between screens, checking updates in real time, and expecting information to come in the exact format we prefer.

NGP IMC’s 2025 Philippine Media Landscape Report captures these changes well without drowning you in numbers. It gives a snapshot of where Filipinos spend their time online and what kinds of content actually pull them in. 

And while we won’t unpack every detail here, we’ll walk you through some of the key movements shaping how Filipinos will consume media in 2026.

What’s Inside:

• The Digital Baseline: Connectivity Is Over the Top
• Video as the The Undisputed King of Consumption
• News Isn’t Dead — It Just Moved Platforms
• The Consumer’s New Preference: Short, Visual, and Personality-Led
• Make 2026’s Media Shifts Work in Your Favor

The Digital Baseline: Connectivity Is Over the Top

At this point, being connected is the default. Most Filipinos treat their phones like an extension of their hand, and multi-device habits are almost automatic. It’s so common to scroll on TikTok while a YouTube video plays in the background, or skim updates on one screen while answering messages on another.

This matters because the context in which your audience encounters your content is rarely a calm, focused environment. You’re showing up in a feed competing with dozens of other things happening at the same time. 

So, how sure are you that your content makes sense amid everything else people are doing?

Pro Tip: If your message relies on undivided attention, rethink the delivery. Your audience isn’t slowing down. Your content needs to keep pace.

Is Video Still the Undisputed King of Consumption?

Yes!

Video is the format Filipinos lean on to help them understand things quickly. Whether it’s news, shopping, explainers, or simple entertainment, video is where people naturally turn. TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook each serve different purposes, but they share one thing: they let people consume information with minimal friction.

What’s changed is the expectation for tone. People want easy-to-follow conversations, not polished speeches. A simple visual breakdown or a creator talking directly to the camera often does more heavy lifting than an overly produced asset. The appeal is clarity and relatability, not theatrics.

For brands, this means video shouldn’t be treated as the “creative version” of something else. It should be built intentionally for the behavior of each platform. What works on YouTube will not land the same way on TikTok, and vice versa.

News Isn’t Dead — It Just Moved Platforms

A lot of people assume news consumption is fading, but it’s really more about migration. They’re just now relying on the platforms they already use. Filipinos are turning to AI, videos for news. Social media acts as the front door, with updates often reaching people faster through creators, commentators, and micro-news accounts than traditional channels.

This doesn’t diminish the value of established newsrooms. In fact, credibility becomes even more important when information moves quickly. But the first point of exposure is rarely a homepage or a primetime show. It’s a clip, a headline summary, or a quick explainer that circulates socially.

For brands, the takeaway is simple! Being part of the conversation means understanding where it actually begins.

What Are Consumer’s New Content Preferences? 

Short, Visual, and Personality-Led.

If you observe how people scroll today, long text with no immediate payoff gets skipped almost instantly. Filipinos want content that respects their time. Short enough to digest, visual enough to understand fast, and ideally delivered by someone who feels familiar.

This is why creator-led explanations, journalist-driven TikTok breakdowns, and personality-fronted brand content perform well. There’s a sense of closeness audiences respond to. They’d rather hear from a person who sounds like them or talks to them plainly than from a faceless voice.

Brands don’t need to force themselves into trends. They do, however, need to assign their messages to real voices. Internal experts, founders, ambassadors, credible creators — anyone who can deliver the information in a way that feels truly human.

Pro Tip: When choosing a spokesperson, look beyond follower count. Look at whether the person can clearly explain your message in a way people actually want to listen to.

Make 2026’s Media Shifts Work in Your Favor

These shifts might feel overwhelming at first glance, but they’re really giving you a clearer map of where audiences are headed. The advantage goes to brands that adjust early and build content around real behavior rather than forcing audiences to adapt to them.

What this means:

• Create for platforms individually, not as one-size-fits-all.
• Treat video as a core part of strategy.
• Use real, credible voices to deliver messages.
• Follow the natural consumption habits of your audience.
• Stay flexible as patterns evolve faster than calendars.

If you want the fuller picture with the data behind these trends, the platform-by-platform insights, and the nuances that can guide your 2026 strategy, the full 2025 Philippine Media Landscape Report prepared by NGP IMC lays it out in a way that’s easy to work with.

Download the report to see the complete breakdown and start planning with a clearer direction!