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Against all odds, AZ Martinez and River Joseph a.k.a. AzVer have clinched their spot in the Big Four of "Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition" through sheer endurance and unshakeable teamwork during one of the most grueling tests of the season, the 2nd Big Jump Challenge, which lasted six hours and pushed them to their limits.
In this task, the remaining duos AzVer, DusBi (Dustin Yu and Bianca de Vera), and BreKa (Brent Manalo and Mika Salamanca) were challenged to piece together seven massive blocks that spelled out “BIG FOUR” using only their bodies to keep them upright and connected. One by one, they had to lift and position each block, with a new letter added at Big Brother's signal. The difficulty ramped up with each passing hour as the row of blocks grew longer and heavier. The pair who could hold the completed stack the longest without letting any block fall would claim the third Big Four slot.
As the challenge kicked off under the afternoon sun, AzVer quietly huddled together and fully immersed in their own game plan while other duos kept making frantic adjustments. From the first hour of pressing the blocks between their bodies, River immediately started thinking ahead, coming up with strategies to minimize fatigue and conserve their energy for the enervating hours to come. Calm but alert, he took the lead while carefully checking on AZ to make sure she was fine.
Instead of using all their energy on the first few blocks, River thought it was smarter to save their strength for later, knowing the challenge would only get harder. Since they were free to choose any position in the first few hours, AzVer decided to sit down while keeping the blocks pressed between them so they could rest their legs. While other duos kept moving around and discussing strategies, AzVer stayed composed and consistent, quietly working together without unnecessary movements.
By the second hour, Kuya announced that each duo would have the chance to use a 100-second rest power once at any time they wished. However, by the time the fourth block was added, Kuya raised the stakes by banning sitting.
Night was beginning to fall by the fourth hour, and the duos were already holding six blocks pressed between their bodies, supported mainly by their arms. DusBi was noticeably exhausted yet determined, while BreKa looked increasingly unsure of their next move. Meanwhile, AzVer kept motivating each other. “R for reaching our dreams,” AZ said as they added the sixth block, earning a proud “Ang galing naman” from River, who smiled and gave AZ an extra boost of encouragement. AZ even closed her eyes for a moment to pray for strength and focus for both of them.
Light rain set in by the fifth hour, and each duo tried to figure out how to put on their raincoats without letting go of the blocks. Kuya also announced that they could no longer support or hold the blocks from underneath or the sides. Brent, however, tried to be confident, saying endurance was his and Mika’s strength.
A little later, AZ told River that she needed to use their 100-second rest power. AZ was already feeling lightheaded and her body felt like it was about to give out from exhaustion, which River noticed right away so he rushed to grab some donuts, hoping the quick snack would help AZ recover. After their 100-second break, they had just 30 seconds to reposition all the blocks between them before the countdown ran out.
River also noticed AZ’s eyes starting to droop as fatigue set in, so he gently reminded her to keep looking up every now and then and to avoid closing her eyes for too long so she wouldn’t drift off.
Then Big Brother announced another rule change. The duo could no longer use their bodies to support the blocks and had to rely on their hands alone, basically pushing the blocks from both ends to keep them in place. River kept AZ focused, whispering words of encouragement like, “Imagine our dads pushing us, helping us.” AZ and River lost their dads to liver cirrhosis and cancer, respectively.
By the sixth hour, Kuya raised the difficulty even further by announcing that each duo could now use only one hand each to keep the blocks steady, and once they chose which hand to use, there would be no switching allowed. The tension spiked instantly, and it didn’t take long before the stacks of DusBi and BreKa started to wobble dangerously.
DusBi’s stack was the first to fall, and as the pieces crashed to the floor, Dustin quickly wrapped his arms around Bianca to comfort her. At that moment, AZ quietly uttered a prayer. BreKa's blocks then grew increasingly unstable, with Brent and Mika struggling to agree on how to hold them, until their stack collapsed, leaving Brent visibly upset and Mika disappointed.
When Kuya finally declared AzVer the winners of the challenge, AZ burst into tears, crying out, “Thank you, Lord!” as the other duos—including DusBi and BreKa—cheered and applauded their victory. Stepping onto the Big Four platform, AZ and River embraced each other, overwhelmed with relief and pride, as River told AZ, “Ang galing mo. You never gave up.”
AZ and River’s calm focus, smart strategies, and unwavering support for each other led them to the Big Four, turning past obstacles and doubts into a story of determination. And with AzVer clinching the third spot, only one duo between DusBi and BreKa will prevail in the final Big Jump Challenge to advance to the Big Night.
Catch "PBB Collab" weeknights at 10:15 PM and Saturdays at 6:15 PM on Kapamilya Online Live (KOL).