The internet has spoken: “2026 is officially the new 2016.”
What started as a quiet murmur on TikTok at the beginning of the year has erupted into a full-blown nostalgia wave sweeping across Instagram and beyond.
As the ten-year mark hits, users are digging through their old camera rolls to revive the era of Snapchat dog-ear filters, flower crowns, oversaturated selfies, chokers, and the delightfully chaotic energy of mid-2010s social media.
Celebrities and influencers are joining in, too—posting decade-old selfies, tour shots, and throwback edits as they ride the rising tide of collective nostalgia.
PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) rounds up some of the best ones.
JANINE GUTIERREZ
Janine Gutierrez joined the “2026 is the new 2016” trend by revisiting some of her standout moments from that year.
Her photo dump featured snapshots from her calendar girl era—the year she became Petron’s 2017 calendar girl—alongside highlights from her primetime stint as Agua in Encantadia.
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She also included campaign shoots, magazine covers, and her YES! Magazine condo feature, painting a vivid picture of a year filled with career milestones and personal growth.
Janine Gutierrez’s YES! Magazine Cover
Photo/s: @janinegutierrez on Instagram
In her candid caption, Janine wrote, published as is: “ok 2016 me!!!!!! first-time calendar girl, living alone, redhead, cinemalaya girlie and kambal-diwa ng brilyante ng tubig!!!!! but swipe to the end for the best part [emojis]
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“I remember being sad for a big part of 2016 but wowie it’s true when they say just think ahead to whether or not it’ll matter in a few years!! so if you’re going through anything now, hang in there!
“2016 was great, proud of this bbgirl 🙂
“also, my hair was red but had to be black for taping so we would spray paint it black for work tapos pag mainit black narin yung tumutulo sa face ko – she was working hard!!!!
“also also, I’m so lucky to still be working with the most amazing people!!!! [emoji] I am but a product of everyone’s love and kulam.”
MEGAN YOUNG
Megan Young’s 2016 throwback highlighted a year marked by quiet changes and meaningful firsts.
In her Instagram post, she recalled that it was the year she finally lived on her own, all while she and her then-boyfriend—now husband—Mikael Daez balanced busy work schedules but still carved out time for spontaneous day trips.
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She also reminisced about feeling shy going bare-faced yet loving the fun of experimenting with make-up, and how the two of them spent countless days at the beach.
And in true 2016 fashion, it was the year they got hooked on Pokémon Go, proudly remembering their very first catch: a humble Rattata.
GABBI GARCIA
Gabbi Garcia kept her 2016 throwback short but striking, sharing a photo dump filled with behind-the-scenes moments and throwback stills from Encantadia—the year she brought to life the iconic water sang’gre, Alena.
In the caption, she wrote: “hello 2016 [emoji]” a decade ago! that was the time when we had no idea that a show would turn into a sisterhood for life [emojis].”
BRYAN BOY
Bryan Boy joined the nostalgia wave with a photo dump of candid snapshots and behind-the-scenes moments from his fashion-filled 2016.
His carousel captured everything—from attending major style events to unfiltered glimpses of his “recovery era” after his nose job—proving that even mid-healing, he was serving looks.
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The caption for his post read: “2016 realness. She was raw and ready. Little did she know, blonde was her destiny. Kids, I promise you.. it always gets better. [emoji]”
ALEXA ILACAD
Alexa Ilacad was fully living her “rockstar dreams” back in 2016.
In her throwback photos, she revisited moments from her days performing onstage—an especially fitting reflection now that she’s showcasing a new side of her artistry as a performer on ABS-CBN’s Your Face Sounds Familiar.
In the caption, she wrote: “16 year old me was living her rockstar dreams. [emoji] How has it been 10 years already!? P.S: Mom, I told you it wasn’t a phase [emoji].”
JODI STA. MARIA
Jodi Sta. Maria’s throwback included memories from working on The Achy Breaky Hearts alongside Richard Yap and Ian Veneracion, snapshots from her unforgettable experience attending the International Emmys, glimpses of her blonde-girl era, and sweet travel moments with her son, Thirdy.
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Her caption read: “2016 me didn’t know what was coming, but she chased moments that mattered. Grateful. Nostalgic. Nakaka-happy. Wow 10 years flew by just like that. Parang kahapon lang.”
DONNY PANGILINAN
Donny Pangilinan’s 2016 throwback took fans straight back to his school days at Brent International School.
His photo dump offered a glimpse of his campus life and teen years before the spotlight. Keeping it short and playful, he captioned the post with: “2016 is back?! [emoji]”
AWRA BRIGUELA
Awra Briguela described 2016 as her personal “prime era.”
She shared childhood photos with celebrities she had the chance to work with during the year she was first “discovered.”
She wrote in the caption of her post: “2016 ba kamo? ay dzai prime era nya yan. [emoji].”
It was in 2016 that Awra rose to fame after Coco Martin handpicked her for FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, boosted by viral videos of her sharp impersonations that quickly captured public attention.
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That breakout year paved the way for major opportunities, eventually leading her to win Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids in early 2017.
WINWYN MARQUEZ
2016 was a defining year for Winwyn Marquez.
In her throwback, she shared a mix of moments—from pageant and pasarela training sessions to runway shows, travels, and vacation snapshots—painting a vivid picture of a year spent learning, rebuilding, and quietly preparing for what was ahead.
In her caption, she reflected on a period filled with uncertainty and growth: “Where was I in 2016? What was I doing back then?
“2016 gave me space to breathe again after a year of ups and downs and so much doubt. It was a year when I wasn’t really sure about a lot of things. (Ohh to be in my 20s!)
“I moved slower, felt deeper, and learned to be okay without having all the answers. I was hungry to learn—still training, gaining knowledge so I could bring more to the table… chasing a different dream and choosing growth without pressure.
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“Looking back now, thanks to this trend, I see it so clearly. I’m living the life I once prayed for. Kahit noon parang walang nangyayari, God was already preparing me. Trust Him always, while you keep working on yourself.”
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