MANILA, Philippines – Filipino child singing sensation Charice Pempengco is among the top three most searched topics in the Philippines for 2008, online services company Yahoo! revealed.

Also included in the latest list of the most searched words or topics in Yahoo! Philippines are the US reality show American Idol, the island resort of Boracay, the social networking site Friendster and the Disney film High School Musical 3.

Filipinos are also in the lookout for jobs in 2008 and thus job-related posts are the sixth most searched topics in the Philippines this year.

The gigantic SM Mall of Asia, which has been drawing huge crowds for over a year now, is at number seven. Coming at number eight in the list is actress Marian Rivera, followed by tragic story of the sunken MV Princess of the Stars at number nine.

Completing the top ten of most searched topics is this year’s grandiose Beijing Olympics.

Surprisingly, people’s champ Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao failed to get into the top ten list. However, the world famous pugilist is still among the most searched words in Yahoo!, along with another Filipino, Ateneo Blue Eagles basketball team captain Chris Tiu.

Australian blogger Brian Gorrell is in the ranks of newsmakers in the Philippines alongside newly-elected US President Barack Obama and kidnapped ABS-CBN reporter Ces Drilon.

Yahoo! created separate categories for the most searched words. Among the categories are celebrities, TV shows, music, news, technology, leisure and travel.