The "2026 Is The New 2016" Trend Has Filipina Celebs Digging Up Their Archives

It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since 2016, which the Internet dubs as a time when everything peaked. Social media feeds immediately flooded with throwbacks, giving rise to a fun new trend: "2026 is the new 2016."

Users are digging through old camera rolls, revisiting the era of Snapchat dog-ear filters, oversaturated selfies, and all the gloriously chaotic mid-2010s energy we secretly miss. Celebrities are joining in, too, reminding us of the unforgettable moments and career milestones that defined a decade ago.

Here's a roundup of some of our favorite Filipina stars taking a stroll down memory lane, giving us serious #throwback feels.

Gabbi Garcia's 2016 throwback takes us straight to her Encantadia days, when she first embodied the water sang'gre, Alena. Her photo dump featured behind-the-scenes moments, on-set laughter, and stills from the show that would eventually become a "sisterhood for life" with Kylie Padilla, Glaiza De Castro, and Sanya Lopez.

But wait—she didn't stop there. Gabbi also dropped snapshots from her 18th birthday, plus other pics of her rocking bold eye makeup and enjoying a classic pink-glazed donut.

Janine Gutierrez's photo dump reflected a year full of firsts: her calendar girl debut, solo living, being a redhead, and campaign shoots. She was honest about the ups and downs of that year, noting the lessons, growth, and memorable moments along the way. As she put it in her caption: "2016 was great, proud of this bbgirl :)."

Sarah Lahbati takes us back to a busy year of career shifts and motherhood. In her Instagram post, captioned "'check the label mami' 2016 😮‍💨," she showed fans glimpses of her juggling work and family life like a pro. Fun fact: it was also the year she first graced the cover of Cosmopolitan Philippines!

Before winning Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition, Mika Salamanca was just a high school student juggling her career as a YouTuber, posting song covers and vlogs. Sometimes she had her Kylie Lip Kit on, other times she was wearing flower crowns, and often she'd sneak a well-deserved Jollibee meal.

Living the teen dream and rocking the stage like she owned it—2016 was Alexa Ilacad's rockstar year. She dropped her debut album To The Moon & Back and competed in a reality music competition, all while navigating the teen spotlight. Her throwbacks are full of onstage energy, plus a cheeky wink to her mom in the caption: "16 year old me was living her rockstar dreams. 🤘🏻🖤 How has it been 10 years already!? P.S: Mom, I told you it wasn't a phase 😝."

The year 2016 was nothing short of unforgettable for Kylie Verzosa, who literally brought home the Miss International crown in Tokyo. Her throwback, captioned "2016?? Fight me," had us all feeling her queen aura as the year took her to cultural diplomacy events, UNICEF visits, and advocacy work for mental health.

Living alone for the first time, exploring makeup, and beach escapades with then-boyfriend Mikael Daez made for a year full of small yet meaningful firsts for Megan Young. Oh, and Pokémon Go also made its debut in her life with a humble Rattata marking the start of her adventure-filled year.

Winwyn Marquez's throwback painted a picture of self-discovery and patient growth. She shared moments from pageant training, runway shows, travels, and quiet reflection—all pointing to a year spent preparing for bigger dreams. As she cheekily noted in her caption, "Ohh to be in my 20's 🤣," it was a time of figuring things out and growing into the woman she was meant to be.

For Andrea Torres, 2016 marked the first time she landed a leading role in The Millionaire's Wife. She shared in her caption, "Such a transformative year 🥹," reflecting on a year where she embraced her womanhood, hit the lifting grind, and sported a fresh balayage while taking on roles outside her comfort zone.

Jodi Sta. Maria's decade-old memories were filled with award-nominated performances, on-screen chemistry, and mother-son moments. Her highlights include The Achy Breaky Hearts, travel adventures, and her unforgettable International Emmy nomination for her role in Pangako sa 'Yo. Her caption says it all: "Wow 10 years flew by just like that. Parang kahapon lang."