Niña Jose takes ‘kalansay,’ ‘tarsier’ comments in stride

Actress-turned-politician Niña Jose-Quiambao has addressed comments from netizens who called her a “kalansay” and “tarsier” after recent photos showed her looking noticeably slimmer.

In a Facebook post, the Bayambang, Pangasinan mayor said she was surprised by the amount of attention the photos received. Still, she took the reactions in stride, thanking both her supporters and those who left negative comments.

“Thank you for the engagement, guys! Kahit nega yung iba, nagulat ako dahil sa picture ko pa talaga hahaha. Thank you! Mahal ko kayo lahat, and God bless us all,” she wrote, alongside a black-and-white photo of herself smiling with her eyes closed.

The 38-year-old also addressed concerns about her slimmer appearance, clarifying that she is not sick and simply wanted to be skinny.

“Goal ko nga si Corpse Bride eh hahaha, joke!” she quipped. “But thank you for the concern ah. Kahit may ibang pressing matters, yung ichura ko pa talaga ang pinag-uusapan hahaha. Nakaka-touch din. Salamat.”

Niña also looked back on the different nicknames netizens have given her over the years.

“Nakakatawa lang kasi when I was bigger, tawag sa akin aparador. Nung pumuti face ko, Chimchamchu. Yung payat naman ngayon, kalansay or tarsier,” she said.

“But through all of that, I can say na madami talagang affected sa akin. Hahaha, bakit???? You must love me talaga,” she said.

She ended her post by encouraging everyone to focus on positivity despite the many challenges happening around the world. “Anyway, sa dami ng gulo sa mundo, let us remember to Live, Laugh, and Love.”

Niña first gained public attention as a housemate on “Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition 1” in 2006. She later pursued a career as an actress and model, appearing in television shows such as “Nagsimula sa Puso” and “Mutya,” as well as films including “Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love,” “Aswang,” “Shake, Rattle & Roll X,” and “Shake, Rattle & Roll 12.”

She eventually transitioned into public service and won as mayor in 2022.