Nadine Lustre (Instagram)

What started as a meme on social media in 2017 has become a nickname that actress and singer Nadine Lustre has learned to embrace: “President Nadine.”

During her recent guesting on the hit podcast “Dogshow Divas,” Nadine shared her thoughts on being called the “President” by fans and social media users.

“I think yung pagtawag sa akin ng mga tao na President in some way parang siyang double-edged sword. Parang in some way it's a good thing kasi it kind of gives me an assurance or at least na para siyang praise,” Nadine said.

Known for being outspoken and straightforward about certain issues, Nadine said she appreciates that people listen to and believe in her views.

“People take what I say seriously or that they look up to me, para siyang may konting expectation, but it still flatters me na may weight yung sinasabi ko,” she added.

But while the “President Nadine” moniker started as an internet joke, Nadine said it eventually came with a sense of responsibility.

“At the same time, parang instead of it being a meme or something fun that came out on the internet, parang nagkaroon siya ng weight or baggage, na responsibility na people actually expect me to say something about any issue,” she said.

The jokes about Nadine being president started around March 2017, when she was touring with fellow Filipino pop star James Reid.

At the time, Reid had said that Lustre had “improved the quality of my life.”

On March 7, 2017, several X, formerly Twitter, users took Reid’s statement and turned it into a joke, saying Nadine should become president so she could improve the quality of their lives, too.

The joke eventually spread among Lustre’s fandom and continued to gain traction over the following year and a half.

Years later, what began as a meme has taken on a life of its own—and Nadine is now acknowledging both the humor and the expectations that come with being “President Nadine.”