Grief over the deaths of two young athletes, prayers for earthquake victims and heartfelt Father’s Day greetings were among the stories that resonated most with Filipinos on Facebook in June, according to a social media scan conducted by Capstone-Intel Corporation.
Based on Facebook conversations from June 1 to 30, the research firm found that the deaths of Rene Baterbonia and his teammate Divine Adili in the Ateneo tragedy generated the strongest online response during the month. The keyword “Rene Baterbonia” appeared in 24,201 posts and posted the highest Engagement Score (ES) of 8.9 million among all topics monitored.
Much of the public reaction centered on a One Sports Facebook post announcing the deaths of the two athletes. It generated 54.7 million reactions, 2.39 million comments, and 3.18 million shares. Facebook users largely expressed sympathy, with “Like” reactions accounting for 37.47 percent of the total and “Sad” reactions making up 35.75 percent, reflecting the wave of grief that swept through social media.
Not all of June’s biggest conversations were driven by tragedy. As families marked Father’s Day, Facebook was flooded with tributes to fathers, husbands and father figures. The celebration generated 24,011 posts and an Engagement Score of 2.52 million, with Love reactions accounting for 46.4 percent of all sentiments, followed by Like reactions at 37.1 percent.
Among the posts that drew the biggest response was actress and content creator Alex Gonzaga’s Father’s Day greeting to husband Mikee Morada, which came weeks after the couple announced they were expecting a baby. The post alone generated 1,540,832 Love reactions and an Engagement Score of 274,903.4, making it the most engaging Father’s Day post monitored during the period.
The powerful Mindanao earthquake also dominated Facebook feeds as users shared updates from affected communities, appealed for assistance and offered prayers for victims. The topic generated 7,461 posts, 777,173 comments, 852,120 shares, and an Engagement Score of 1.55 million.
One of the most widely shared posts came from Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who announced that members of the Senate New Majority would donate one month’s salary to earthquake victims. The post generated 230,861 reactions, 8,010 comments, 17,925 shares, and an Engagement Score of 41,812.1. Capstone-Intel said emotional photos and videos from quake-hit areas, along with prayer messages and calls for donations, consistently fueled online engagement.
Another story that kept Filipinos talking was the Tacloban school shooting, which generated 5,964 Facebook posts and an Engagement Score of 1.61 million. Initial discussions focused on the victims, the police investigation and concerns over campus safety. The conversation later shifted after an unofficial proposal to ban violent video games surfaced online, triggering a spike in “Haha” reactions as many users questioned the suggestion and joined the debate.
Rounding out June’s biggest Facebook conversations was Independence Day, which generated 14,082 posts, 667,107 comments, 550,945 shares, and an Engagement Score of 1.16 million. Discussions were largely driven by posts about the Philippine National Police’s security preparations for June 12 celebrations and Vice President Sara Duterte’s participation in the Independence Day rites at Rizal Park in Davao.
For Capstone-Intel Research and Publications Director Kaye Domingo, the findings highlight how Facebook has evolved into more than just a platform for sharing news.
“June’s online conversations show that stories with a strong human and emotional dimension continue to resonate most with Filipino audiences. Whether responding to tragedy, celebrating family milestones, extending help during disasters, or participating in national events, people use social media to share emotions, build solidarity, and engage in issues that matter to them,” Domingo said.
Capstone-Intel’s Social Listening service provide real-time awareness of online conversations and media narratives for proactive communication and decision-making.
