On Saturday, September 19, 2020, the Manila Bay White Sand Beach opened to the public for the first time. As you would’ve expected, everyone made memes about it, including your favorite celebrities. #ManilaBayChallenge
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The Manila Bay White Sand Beach undertaking, a highly contested and challenged project spearheaded by Mayor Isko Moreno and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, has been an enduring figure in national headlines—as it should be. Not long ago, President Rodrigo Duterte asked Cimatu to rehabilitate the bay. After a couple hundred truckloads of crushed dolomite, the beach was ready for a test-run. Consequently, hundreds of people came to visit the beach. Unfortunately, those who were able to enter the beach were not allowed to swim due to rehabilitation works. So, they did as all our fellow Pinoys would do, they took pictures. No shame in that. One particular shot by Rappler broke the internet in a day. As a result, it birthed what we now call the #ManilaBayChallenge. Gone are the days that we long for the beach. Now, we have memes to fix that.
The challenge is to post a side by side collage of an old beach photo and the reporters on the overpass beside the newly renovated Manila Bay. People went wild on creativity and were even able to make some pretty poppin’ memes. The #ManilaBayChallenge became so popular that even our favorite celebrities chimed in. Here are our personal favorites.
Anne Curtis
Anne Curtis is not one to shy away from perfectly crafted meme. She gave her seal of approval to a fan account that added a Dyesebel edition to the challenge.
Tony Labrusca
Tony Labrusca has got magical powers. Whether this is a full-on shirtless pic or not, he’s still got us hooked for days.
Alodia Gosiengfiao
The cosplay queen of the Philippines did not post a beach pic. Rather, she opted to show her comedic power in referencing her comic convention appearances.
Macoy Dubs
Macoy Dubs gives us relatability across the board. We’d be inspecting the infamous dolomite sand on the beach, as well.
Andrea Brillantes
Andrea Brillantes’ brand, Blythe Cosmetics, posted a refreshing picture of the young starlet on the beach. The shot features her newest products available to the market.
Gerald Anderson
Gerald Anderson is here to prove he is the matinée idol of the Philippines with a Baywatch-inspired photo.
Jack and the Balbons
These adorable puppers may not be celebrities, but aren’t they so darn cute? Now, that’s a #ManilaBayChallenge.
