Just as ardent fans of the “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition 2.0” Ultimate 8 probably assumed that “The Ultim8 Kapamilya Chat Meet & Greet” held on Monday, March 16, had already concluded, they were pleasantly surprised when the pairs of Big Placers were once again called back on stage for another round of interaction and fan service.
The first pair to reappear on the meet and greet were 4th Big Placers Miguel Vergara and Princess Aliyah, who expressed once more how overwhelmed they felt by everything that had happened since leaving the PBB house, especially the outpouring of love and support from their fans.
When asked how they value the bond they formed inside the house, the “Royal Songstress ng Bulacan” shared that they make it a point to still meet and catch up with each other as much as they can despite their hectic schedules. Meanwhile, the “Adorable Smasher ng Antipolo” added that they’ve been trying their best to fulfill the plans they made while they were still inside Bahay ni Kuya.
According to them, among the items in their bucket list of to-dos in the outside world is a staycation with their entire batch, which will surely bring back memories of their life inside the iconic yellow house. Besides, Princess related that they’re also actually eyeing going on a trip together, possibly to Hong Kong or to a beach destination, though she admitted she’s still a bit unsure about it.
Looking back on their time inside the house, Miguel shared that his favorite memories include the housemates’ first and last swimming sessions. He fondly recalled how emotional everyone became during their final swim, with the remaining eight housemates in tears as they took in the moment. Their first swim, on the other hand, stood out because it marked the first time they heard the official soundtrack “Kabataang Pinoy” played outside of their usual wake-up call.
For Princess, her most cherished memory was their New Year’s celebration, where they grilled food, blew party horns, and lit sparklers, which helped ease their homesickness and made them miss their respective families less.
The conversation then shifted to the various “ships” formed inside the house, such as “PrinGuel” (Princess-Miguel), FredCess (Fred Moser and Princess), HeaGuel (Heath Jornales and Miguel), and LizGuel (Eliza Borromeo and Miguel). They began with his adorable brotherhood with Heath, which, according to Miguel, started when they became the first duo of their edition.
“Super unexpected po na magiging super duper duper close pala kami. As in parang tinuturing ko po siyang kapatid talaga,” he said about their friendship, and then went on to share their motto, which is, “HeaGuel can’t fly without two wings.” He also related how they would playfully argue on who should be the right wing between them until they arrived at an agreement that it would be him, while Heath is the left wing.
When asked about their favorite memory with one another, Princess disclosed that she and Miguel actually didn’t talk that much inside the house. However, she considers their “Pinoy Big Bakbakan” weekly task as their most unforgettable shared experience, as it gave them the opportunity to work closely together and her the opportunity to act alongside Miguel and their other housemates.
WATCH: Day 23: Housemates present “Pinoy Big Bakbakan” | PBB Collab 2.0
It can be recalled that during the weekly task, the housemates performed a six-minute action sequence, with Princess portraying the antagonist seeking revenge against Miguel’s character for what had been done to her father.
The Kapamilya and Kapuso 4th Big Placers also talked about their “happy shippings” with their ex-housemates Eliza and Fred, respectively. Miguel reiterated what he previously shared in his interview with “King of Talk” Boy Abunda at his talk show, describing his connection with Eliza as “something special.” Princess, on the other hand, stated that although she’s more focused now on her career, she appreciates the support behind her tandem with Fred.
With regard to their biggest learnings inside the house, Miguel recounted how his PBB journey had helped him come out of his shell. Once an introvert who found comfort and happiness in solitude, living with his housemates for more than 100 days had taught him to open up, find joy in the company of others, and ease his emotional burdens by sharing them.
“So, I hope na ‘yong mga taong nahihirapan ding mag-share, I hope that they can share it with people they love and the people they trust kasi mawawala talaga ‘yong bigat sa sarili mo. And ‘yon po ang na-experience ko do’n sa bahay; that’s why I grew—because of the people surrounding me,” he said. He then added that, for him, every housemate is already a “Big Winner” because of the lessons they gained throughout their journey.
Princess echoed this sentiment, imparting that her time inside the house taught her to trust herself more and become more patient, understanding, and responsible—which really helped in her growth and maturity as a “Kabataang Pinoy.” She also hopes to inspire fellow youth by reminding them that it’s definitely okay to make mistakes, as long as they’re willing to learn and grow from them.
Another significant takeaway of Miguel from Big Brother is how “pagpapakatao,” or being humane, is more valuable than being true to oneself. In fact, Kuya even had it engraved on the bracelets he’d given them during their last conversation inside the confession room. He explained that while both are important, there are moments when choosing kindness matters more—especially when honesty can be expressed in a way that does not hurt others.
Princess echoed his response, then added that Kuya also taught her to treasure what they have, especially the people who love them. She elaborated, “[Before] going inside ‘PBB’, parang tuwing may nakikita akong negative, naaapektuhan talaga ako. Pero mas napa-[realize] sa akin ni Kuya na mas maraming taong nagmamahal sa [akin] at doon [ako] dapat mag-focus.”
The interview wrapped up with the hosts asking Miguel to teach them his quirky dance moves and Princess to showcase her vocal prowess—much to the delight of their fans.