Vanessa Hudgens' Filipino Independence post courts controversy, seen as marketing gimmick for easy money by fans

Vanessa Hudgens, the Filipino-American actress, visited the Philippines for a documentary on her Pinoy background. She uploaded a photo on social media to honor the nation's 125th Independence Day, which was on June 12.

The day commemorates the nation's independence from the Spanish monarchy, the Philippines' first and longest colonizers. Hudgens is the Philippines' worldwide tourism ambassador. She was one of many who shared about the occasion on social media.

Filipino social media users had different opinions about Vanessa Hudgens' Independence Day message:

Venessa Hudgens wrote, "Maligayang araw ng kalayaan pilipinas! ♥️ Happy independence day Philippines 🇵🇭 learning about my heritage and history was so empowering. Connecting to the land and people. Can’t wait to get back."

However, some fans thought it was a publicity stunt and the actress posted for easy money. There have been conflicting reactions to her selection as the nation's worldwide tourism ambassador. Some Filipinos even suggested alternative individuals who, in their opinion, would be more suited for the position given their obvious affection for the Philippines.

One fan wrote, "Too bad you weren't able to discover earlier."

A fan's reaction

Another fan wrote, "Went to the Philippines because I'm getting paid"

A fan's reaction

Vanessa Hudgens manifested her dream life

Vanessa Hudgens has manifested all her success. She played Gabriella Montez in Disney Channel's smash hit "High School Musical" as a teenager. Recently, she got engaged to Cole Tucker. The 34-year-old actress further explained that she had asked the universe for everything in her professional and personal life:

"I've manifested my relationship, my home, my career. There's so much. As long as you're really specific, it might not always come when you expect it or want it, but it's always gonna come back in some way."

The actress added that she "connects" with angels daily and finds it "empowering" to stay in touch with spirituality. She explained that she was drawn to participate in the Tubi project to "heal ancestral trauma."

Venessa Hudgens, an American actor and singer

The actress, who lost her father Greg to cancer in 2016, just hours before she played the role of Rizzo on "Grease Live," is now exploring her witchy side as part of the new documentary "Dead Hot: Season of the Witch."