If you’ve scrolled through YouTube lately, you’ve probably seen that little “Shorts” tab waving for attention. And maybe just maybe-you tapped it once, watched a couple of videos… then quietly went back to TikTok or Instagram Reels.

While YouTube Shorts is a huge hit in some countries, here in the Philippines it’s still playing catch-up. Why? Let’s spill the tea.

TikTok Owns the “Binge” Scene

TikTok didn’t just open the door for short-form video, it threw a literally full-blown street party and invited the whole barangay. From dance trends to comedic and political skits to that one recipe you’ll totally cook someday, TikTok has turned quick videos into a culture.

The algorithm is scarily good at feeding you exactly what you want before you even know you want it. That kind of hyper-personalization is tough to beat.

Instagram Reels = Your Barkada

Instagram already has our friends, our barkada group chats, and all those birthday photo dumps. So when Reels joined the party, it felt natural. Why download something new when your tita, your college roommate, and your favorite café are already hanging out on IG? Reels share in on your existing network.

YouTube, on the other hand, has always been more about creators than personal connections as it is great for long videos, and not so much for the “let’s all stalk each other’s Stories” kind of vibe.

Habits Are Hard to Break

For Pinoys, YouTube is equal to long-form entertainment. It’s where we binge vlogs, watch teleserye recaps, or deep-dive into K-drama theories at 2 a.m. That’s a very different energy from the 15-second dopamine hits we expect from TikTok. It’s like asking your go-to samgyeopsal place to suddenly serve fish cakes, it just doesn’t match the mood we go there for.

TikTok & IG Nailed the Culture, Not Just the Format

Filipinos love interactive, ma-chika content: duets, comment threads that feel like group chats, instant replies. TikTok and Instagram have turned short videos into a conversation, not just a one-way broadcast.
Pinoy Verdict?

It’s not that YouTube Shorts is bad, it just walked into a room where TikTok and Instagram were already owning the dance floor. Until Shorts figures out how to bring that same sense of community and chika that Pinoys adore, most of us will keep getting our quick-video fix from apps that already feel like home.



(brb, opening TikTok for “just five minutes”… we all know how that ends)