Photos of a woman wearing a one-piece bathing suit at the artificial white sand beach at Manila Bay went viral on social media.
The woman in the photos is Renalyn Macato who said that she loves taking pictures while wearing a swimsuit.
She also believes that she still followed the minimum health standards set by the government despite the photos showing her not wearing a mask or a face shield.
“Mahilig lang po kasi ako lagi mag-swimsuit, then niyaya ‘ko ng [dating] amo ko mag-Manila Bay,” she said in an interview with ABS-CBN news.
“Meron po ako face mask at shield… Makikita naman sa ibang pics ko tinanggal lang for picture… Pati ‘di ka makakapasok du’n kung wala pong ganu’n na suot,” she added.
This ‘swimsuit girl’ drew various reactions from celebrities and netizens who did not expect something like this to come up especially during a pandemic.
Other pokes fun and praised Macato’s confidence while some people criticized her.
Wow!!! 😱😱😱 https://t.co/2GHvT7uiic
— Gretchen Ho (@gretchenho) September 20, 2020
https://twitter.com/markgeronimo_/status/1307668820069289984
https://twitter.com/macoydubs1/status/1307675141703258112
Pero in the end si ateng naka swimsuit sa manila bay pa rin ang panalo.
— Jojo (@TanTanTanTaaaan) September 20, 2020
someone wore a swimsuit?????? in manila bay??????????????????????? & even touched the dolomite sand & polluted water???????????????? im so embarrassed with yall 😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾😾
— sof (@yhunjhin) September 20, 2020
SUDDENLY they're amused over a girl on manila bay going viral because she wore a swim suit.
HOW AM I STILL ALIVE FROM THE STUPIDITY. HOW?!?!— k-t (@666sapphometh) September 21, 2020
Ok so mag swimsuit sya sa Manila Bay. Kailangan ko sya istalk. Isa lang masasabi ko, hanga ako sa self-confidence ni girl. No sarcasm. Di ko keri maging ganon ka-open on social media (or irl) pero siya go lang talaga.
Feel ko dds sya though. ugh
— NO TO MAHARLIKA FUND MARCOS MAGNANAKAW (@sharkbaitshark) September 21, 2020
https://twitter.com/_clnanroiset/status/1307943608683606017?s=20
https://twitter.com/theisabelford/status/1307896302466867200
YUP. Those "jejemon" comments reek of privilege and elitism. I honestly feel sorry for the lady who wore a swimsuit and got cyber bullied. No one deserves that. Blame the government for putting white sand in Manila Bay in the middle of a pandemic, blame the government only. https://t.co/CUbD0wV4EG
— â™› APV (@soAnnaying) September 21, 2020
In response to bashers, Macato said that she only wanted to spread good vibes and enjoyment.
“Ang masasabi ko lang sa mga bashers is, God bless. Good vibes lang naman kasi ako, I’m a happy person po kasi,” she said.
“Mas lalong paghahandaan ko po lalo ‘di kasi natuloy ‘yung lakad namin sa Cebu at Boracay.”
After being flooded with people over the weekend, the Manila Bay artificial beach will be closed from the public in line with the minimum health standards for COVID-19.
