Having worked as an actor since he was little, Marco has grown up in front of the camera, but stepping into “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition 2.0” brought out a version of him that not many had seen before—more grounded and deeply in tune with the people around him. “Sobrang grateful and nakakataba ng puso,” he says, smiling at how he's been booked and busy since the eviction.
While he admits he’s still adjusting to being back in the real world—“Medyo hindi pa,” he confesses, laughing—he’s been savoring every moment, like when he saw the crowd of supporters that waited for him after eviction last November 29 (alongside Kapamilya housemate Eliza Borromeo) despite the damp, moody night skies. “Actually, medyo hindi okay ‘yung weather no’n,” he recalls. “So, the fact na nag-stay sila para makita kami, sobrang na-appreciate namin.”
Backtracking to his first day in Kuya’s house, Marco still remembers the surreal rush of finally stepping into a place he had only seen on TV. “Parang dati pinapanood ko lang. And the fact na nasa loob na po ako, sobrang fulfilling.” After seeing the housemates and scanning the interiors, it finally hit him, “Masasabi ko na official housemate ako.”
However, he spent his first night there thinking about his family especially his older brother, Justin. Throughout his stay, he often talked about how Justin, who has Down syndrome, has shown him what unconditional love truly looks like. “Siya po talaga ‘yung lakas ng loob ko. Kahit hindi niya nasasabi nang diretso, he never failed to make me feel na mahal na mahal niya ako.” That bond explains his moniker, “Ang Wonder Brother ng Antipolo.”
In fact, one of his most emotionally charged moments in his “PBB” journey was during a weekly task where he portrayed his brother during a live drama show. “At first, natatakot po ako… Hindi ko po siya talaga nakukuwento nang madalas.” But thanks to the support of his housemates, he found the courage to share their story. “I’m really happy na na-execute ko siya with the help of the cast.”
For families who have members with special needs, Marco hopes they remember how much of a blessing people like Justine are. For him, they're the sweetest and most genuine. "At 'yung pagmamahal nila, sobrang selfless. Dapat hindi natin ini-invalidate. Dapat maramdaman nila na hindi hadlang ang special needs nila para makuha nila ang true happiness and love.”
There were times when Marco felt guilty that he couldn’t always spend time with Justin due to his busy work schedule, and sometimes wondered if he was showing enough love, until a heart-to-heart with Big Brother inside the confession room changed that. Because of Big Brother's message “naramdaman ko na nakikita ako.”
"Do'n ko naramdaman na nakikita [ni Kuya Justine] ‘yung pagsasakripisyo ko rin, 'yung pagmamahal ko sa kanya despite everything that's going on with my life. And 'yun 'yung something na gusto kong panghawakan at panghawakan ko na po yung panghabang buhay."
Describing his “PBB” journey, Marco calls it “sobrang saya,” as he truly made an effort to understand each housemate. "I really tried to get to know ‘yung bawat housemate. And for me, it's really a matter of perspective on how I find happiness, kahit na mahirap, despite the hardships, ‘yung mga hamon ni Kuya. And dahil sa tulong ng mga wonderful and amazing housemates inside, na talagang naka-close ko, parang nagagawa ko pa rin maging masaya. And masasabi ko na nakapag-impart ako sa bawat housemate ng mga bagay na gusto ko makita nila para sa sarili nila kasi sobrang nagtitiwala ako talaga sa kanila," he shares.
"At nakuha ko 'yung tiwala kaagad sa kanila. And that's something that I would like to protect even here outside. Kasi, I really tried na makilala talaga sila nang buong buo at maiparamdam na may safe space sila sa akin, at maiparamdam ko na kapag nahihirapan sila, pwede nila akong lapitan."
Marco found it easy to adjust to life inside the house. “Since may mga kakilala na po ako, and I'm eager to get to know ‘yung bawat housemate,” he explains. “I can really adjust sa environment.” He also made it a point to make everyone feel seen and included, and figure out their vibe even those who were quiet at first, like Carmelle Collado. “Tahimik niya talaga,” he says. But as time passed, “sobrang kulit pala niya.” When asked which Kapamilya housemate he first became closest to, he answers, “I would say si Eliza. Ang tahimik po kasi niya nu'n,” which made him want to approach her even more.
“PBB” gave Marco a rare chance to show who he really is beyond the lens of childhood fame. He’s aware of the expectations, the pressure, and the constant comparisons. “It’s really hard,” he says, “but good pressure din… I want to show people I can be more.” His focus now is continuous self-improvement, not just as an actor but as a person.
From child star to “determined warrior,” Marco’s journey is still unfolding. His heart is in the right place. And to Big Brother, he leaves this promise, “Pinapangako kong lahat ng advice na binigay n'yo sa akin ay babaunin ko, lalo lalo na dito sa outside world.”
Just for the fun of it, Kapamilya Chat asked Marco to name their personal Big 4 picks—two from Team Kapamilya and two from Team Kapuso. He had a slightly longer shortlist. For his Kapuso picks, he mentioned Ashley Sarmiento and John Clifford, though he also considered Caprice Cayetano. As for his Kapamilya bets, he named Joaquin Arce, Lella Ford, and added Rave Victoria to round out his faves.
Catch “PBB Collab 2.0,” online via livestreams on the PBB YouTube Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), and iWant.