They entered "Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition" carrying the strength of young breadwinners. They knew that stepping inside Bahay Ni Kuya was a chance to build something bigger for their families and for themselves. Over a hundred days later, Charlie Fleming and Esnyr, or CharEs, emerged as part of the Big Four and were named the 3rd Big Placer Duo of the season.
Now back in the outside world, CharEs is met with a new kind of spotlight. The support is louder, the attention more intense compared to what they had before “PBB.” And amid the wild post-“PBB” frenzy, Charlie and Esnyr look back on the journey that brought them here and opens up about their thoughts on placing third—even if they admittedly hoped to be named Big Winners, and even if many of their fellow housemates were rooting for them to win.
Charlie's “PBB” journey was a rollercoaster. After being evicted earlier in the season, she was given a chance to re-enter the game via the wildcard round. But her comeback sparked mixed reactions. Some questioned its fairness, raising concerns about her knowledge of the outside world and how that might give her an edge over the other housemates.
Although she didn’t deny that the criticism hurt, Charlie faced it head-on and proved she deserved her place in the Big Four. Another backlash thrown her way was how she was allegedly playing the “bunso" card to her advantage. It’s a label she firmly pushed back against, especially during the “Big Tapatan” debate, where she explained that while she appreciates being treated as the youngest in the group, she never used that to get special treatment. In fact, she often stepped up when the situation called for it. "I got to show na hindi lang ako 'yung tingin n'yong bunso... Nakita nila na may laman din 'yung puso't isip ko at nakita nila through the way I communicate naman po," she said. "Sobrang happy ako that I got to express that, not only to the housemates but to everyone who's watching also."
That “Big Tapatan” grilling happened during the House Challengers week, where earlier evictees returned to assess whether the Final Five duos were staying true to themselves and were strong enough to deserve their spots.
Looking back, Esnyr admitted he and Charlie didn’t expect the evictees to take such an intimidating stance during the “Big Tapatan” interrogation. The same housemates they remembered as playful and cheerful returned with a different kind of fire. "Atake sila... artista sila! Nakapagpa-facial na sila. Meron silang outside world glow," he quipped. The Duo Challengers weren't there for his jokes, though, as they took their task seriously. "Nakakatawa sila pero nu'ng ni-try na nila kaming i-challenge, nakuha naman nila 'yung inis namin nang very slight." CharEs chose to stay composed and reminded themselves that everything was just part of a task.
Esnyr, on the other hand, went through a different kind of battle inside the house. He was often at the bottom of rankings, especially during crucial moments like the choosing of the Final Duos, and ended up performing the weakest in several tasks. It hurt, yes, but never to the point where he felt alone, thanks to the housemates who stood by him, most especially Charlie, who was always there to motivate him during moments of self-doubt.
But even with all that support, Esnyr knew that at the end of the day, it was still up to him to rise above the situation. "Hindi naman talaga sa lahat ng task ay magaling ako at hindi naman talaga sa lahat ng tasks ay mag-e-excel kami," he admitted. "Gina-gaslight ko 'yung sarili ko at nag-work naman siya. With the help of Kuya also, medyo bumalik talaga ako sa track ko."
Big Brother became the housemates' anchor when things got overwhelming. Asked the best piece of advice they got from Kuya himself, Esnyr recalled the “One-Shot Wonder” task where they had to shoot a live short film in a single take with no cuts and no mistakes, all while he was switching between multiple characters. It was one of the most exhausting weeks inside the house. But all the tiredness faded away when Kuya told him how proud he is of everyone, especially Esnyr. "Nawala na po lahat ng pagod ko nu'ng naggaling na po sa kan'ya na sobrang proud niya sa akin," shared the “Son-sational Viral Beshie.”
Meanwhile, Charlie remembered landing at the very bottom of the housemate rankings one time, making her feel like she couldn’t quite prove her worth no matter how hard she tried. But it was Big Brother who reminded her not to settle for less, and that just like everyone else, she deserved good things too.
When asked to describe their journey as a Final Duo, CharEs picked the word “victory.” It's victory in terms of growth, of becoming stronger as individuals, and of being able to represent people close to their hearts, from the Bisaya community to the vlogging community and the many young breadwinners just like them.
Charlie would also describe it as a "miracle" because everything that happened felt like one, starting from manifesting Esnyr as her Final Duo partner. “It’s wild,” gushed the “Bubbly Bread Teener ng Cagayan De Oro,” describing the full ride she’s had—from getting evicted, to returning, to making it all the way to Big Night. She's aware that people misunderstood her personality at the beginning, but the chance to come back gave her the space to redeem herself. "It took three to four months but sobrang worth it," she smiled.
“Pinoy Big Brother” was nothing short of life-changing for CharEs, not only for the tangible rewards, but because of how much they grew as people inside that house. For Esnyr, one of his biggest takeaways was learning to step back when needed. The 'Esnyr' before always felt the need to be the star, to be seen. But the ‘Esnyr’ now has learned to clap for others and not always chase the spotlight. Being inside Bahay ni Kuya, surrounded by people who constantly lifted each other up, made it easier for him to embrace that change. He added that everyone had each other’s back, and that he wouldn't trade their bond for anything in the world.
During this Kapamilya Chat interview, Charlie kept teasing Esnyr about his outfit that looked so Big Night-ready. Well, who could blame them for not getting over that moment so easily? It was one for the books. According to CharEs, the Big 4 Duos were blindfolded for nearly two hours, from when they were taken out of the house to the New Frontier Theater up until the live show opened. And the second the blindfolds came off felt surreal, as if waking up to a dream they used to just talk about all the time. There they were, dressed to the nines, on the night they used to just imagine. And aside from the excitement for themselves, they genuinely felt thrilled for their fellow Big Four duos BreKa (Brent Manalo and Mika Salamanca), RaWi (Ralph de Leon and Will Ashley), and AzVer (AZ Martinez and River Joseph) as well.
Here’s a little moment you didn’t catch on TV during the Big Night—while waiting backstage, all the Big Four duos had one thing on their minds, and that was finally getting a taste of the much-missed 'outside world' food. Especially Esnyr, who had been fasting the whole day. So when they were handed their packed dinners, it honestly felt like a win already. Charlie, meanwhile, was also excited about finally stepping out and reuniting with her family. She was over the moon knowing they had flown all the way from Cagayan de Oro just to witness Big Night in person. "Big Four na, okay na, solid na 'to. Kahit anong place, okay lang. Basta lalabas na ako at makikita ko na 'yung pamilya ko," she said, recalling what was on her mind at the time.
Although CharEs won’t deny that a part of them really wanted to take home the Big Winner title, they’re still proud and genuinely fulfilled with how their journey turned out. "Alam ko naman po na may mga plans si Lord for us," said Esnyr, who thanks Charlie for bringing him closer to God, adding that he would never question God’s will even if they ended up as 3rd Big Placers instead of taking the top spot.
Charlie feels the same way, "Whatever place we got, we are grateful already kasi it's already a miracle. And to go against all the other duos na sobrang lakas, alam ko sobrang lakas kasi na-evict na ako at kilala ko silang lahat... Pero kinaya natin third place."
Of course, they appreciate the overwhelming support from their co-housemates. Many times, when asked who they wanted to win aside from themselves, the other Big Four duos would pick CharEs. In fact, CharEs earned their Big Four spot after getting voted in by both the Duo House Challengers and the Final 5 duos as the pair most deserving to go all the way. But even without the top prize, Charlie and Esnyr are still walking away happy.
At the end of the day, just knowing they're Big Winners in the hearts of their fellow housemates, and everyone who continues to believe in them up until now, is more than enough. That already feels like a win.