NERI Naig-Miranda drew mixed reactions online after posting a photo of herself gardening in her sunroom.
In the post, Neri shared, “While listening to the rain, I started planting arugula, lettuce and kangkong. Then I took care of my succulents… wiping the leaves, rearranging them one by one.”
She appeared makeup-free and wore a pink shirt. Some netizens commented that she looked “haggard” and “older.”
Others defended her, saying, “If this is what a haggard looks like, then what does that make the rest of us?” and “She’s beautiful, happy and living simply.”
Neri responded to critics: “When I woke up this morning, I saw so many notifications… Someone said, ‘What happened to Neri? She looks haggard and old.’ I was never born beautiful. I knew that, and it was an insecurity when I was younger.
“So what if I’m not pretty? So what if I don’t look like everyone else on TV or social media? Because now, at 42, I’ve learned to love and accept this face, this body, this quiet, simple version of me.” / HBL