10 things that will turn 10 this year

The year 2024 has arrived, and some notable events are not just turning a year older but rather marking a decade since their occurrence. Get ready for a trip down memory lane with these reminders that might evoke a sense of nostalgia or, dare I say, make you feel a bit older.

1. “Frozen” Phenomenon: Although technically released in late 2013, the film “Frozen” gained immense popularity in 2014. Almost every little girl was belting out “Let It Go” and “Do You Want To Build A Snowman.” The movie presented a fresh take on Disney Princesses, emphasizing the magic of family and sisterhood.

2. Flappy Bird Craze: Similar to Frozen, while the mobile game Flappy Bird debuted in 2013, it truly took off in 2014. Developed by Vietnamese programmer Nguyễn Hà Đông, this addictive game challenged players to keep a pixelated bird alive by navigating it through varying pipe lengths. Its difficulty level propelled it to the top of the charts on both the Apple App Store and Google Playstore in January 2014.

3. Taylor Swift’s “1989” Album: Released in October 2014, Taylor Swift’s “1989” marked her comeback after a two-year hiatus. This pop genre album featured hits like “Shake It Off,” “Style,” and “Wildest Dreams,” becoming the best-selling album of the year.

4. Ice Bucket Challenge: A social media phenomenon from 10 years ago, the Ice Bucket Challenge aimed to raise awareness for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). This motor neuron disease affects nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain, leading to issues with limbs and breathing.

5. Emergence of Smart Watches: As if time telling us what to do is not yet enough, tech companies started inventing and introducing to the public smart watches in 2014, pushing us to be more productive and healthy. It will be a decade since Apple announced the launch of the Apple Watch and Android brands like Samsung and LG released the Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch, respectively.

6. Gilas Pilipinas FIBA World Cup Appearance: In Spain, Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippines’ national basketball team, made its first appearance in the FIBA World Cup in 40 years after winning the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship semifinal against South Korea. The team would go on to finish last in Group B with a 1-4 record.

7. Typhoon Yolanda Relief Controversies: Super Typhoon Yolanda struck Tacloban, Leyte, in December 2013, prompting extensive nation-building efforts. However, controversies arose the following year, particularly regarding the government’s handling of donations from various organizations.

8. Pork Barrel Scam: The Pork Barrel Scam involving Janet Lim Napoles, Senator Bong Revilla, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile will be seeing its 10th anniversary this year. They were charged with graft and corruption due to “ghost projects” that received billions in funding. But a decade later, some still hold public positions despite their involvement.

9. Princess Sarah memes: For some reason, Princess Sarah memes started emerging in 2014 and since then, it has never died down. You can still see some patatas and “Sarah x Becky” memes scattered all over social media up to this day. 

10. DongYan Engagement and Wedding: Celebrating their 10th year of engagement and wedding anniversary in 2024 are Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera. Their relationship, which began in 2009, has weathered controversies and rumors involving Dantes’ ex-girlfriend, Karylle Tatlonghari-Yuzon, and Heart Evangelista.

Some honorable mentions include Jessica leaving Girls’ Generation, Spotify launching in the Philippines, and the government recovering P1.3 billion from the Swiss accounts of the Marcos family.

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