Daniel Slotta
Research expert covering Greater China
Social media in the Philippines - statistics & facts
The constant need for social interaction, particularly in a nation of over 7,000 islands and millions of family members working overseas, made social networking sites popular among Filipino internet users. In February 2025, the Philippines came second to Singapore when it comes to social media penetration rates in Southeast Asia. The Philippines also spent the most amount of time daily using social media in the entire Asia-Pacific region in 2024. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) are the leading social media platforms in the Philippines. These platforms offer opportunities to connect with friends and family, find content, be updated with current events, discover brands, and make online purchases.
Social media continues to be a significant part of a Filipino internet user’s experience. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok not only offer means to connect with friends and family, but also provide a platform to access news and entertainment content, as well as online shopping.
Facebook's continued dominance in the Philippines
Facebook has since been the most used social media platform in the Philippines, accounting for the majority of the social media market. Thanks to the Internet.org app introduced by Facebook and Smart Communications Inc. in 2015, Filipino internet users were given free access to a few mobile sites, including Facebook and Facebook Messenger, even without a mobile network connection. From an estimated 19 million users in 2019, the number of Facebook users in the Philippines was forecast to have reached roughly 33 million in 2024. Because of its popularity, Facebook was also a crucial tool for consuming news in 2024, even more than TV and print media. With its embedded marketplace, Facebook also made it possible for its users to buy and sell items and services online, making it the second-most used social media platform for making purchases in February 2025.The rise of influencer marketing
Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube were also popular among Filipino internet users. In November 2024, Filipinos spent the most amount of time on TikTok, followed by YouTube. The popularity of these apps also paved the way for influencer marketing to flourish, with influencers and content creators building their own brands and partnering with already established companies to promote their products and services. Estimates for 2024 have shown that ad spending in the influencer advertising segment in the Philippines gradually increased since 2019, with no signs of slowing down.The state of social commerce
Due to high penetration rates, marketing strategies on social media, such as influencer marketing and social commerce, are increasingly becoming important among local and international brands hoping to connect with the millions of Filipino online users. By investing in their social media presence, brands gain higher visibility, which could potentially result in increased sales. Among platforms, Facebook had the highest advertising audience size as of February 2025, followed by TikTok and Facebook Messenger. Meanwhile, clothing items were the most purchased items on social media by Filipino shoppers.Social media continues to be a significant part of a Filipino internet user’s experience. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok not only offer means to connect with friends and family, but also provide a platform to access news and entertainment content, as well as online shopping.
