“The Ultim8 Kapamilya Chat Meet & Greet” of the “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition 2.0” Ultimate 8 continues with more intimate conversations featuring each pair of Big Placers. Next to take on the hot seat are Kapamilya and Kapuso 3rd Big Placers Joaquin Arce and Ashley Sarmiento, who enthusiastically revisit their favorite memories inside the house and one another’s “slow-mo” moments with their “happy ships.”
Ashley commenced the interview by expressing her gratitude for the massive love and support she has received since returning to the outside world. She conveyed, “Sobrang overflowing po talaga ako sa pagmamahal from my family, from my friends, and, of course po, [mula] sa supporters po naming lahat. Kaya sobrang masaya lang po ako at mabilis po akong nakapag-adapt [sa outside world]. Surprisingly po talaga.”
Joaquin, on the other hand, admitted that he is still adjusting to life outside Bahay ni Kuya, but remains deeply thankful for the love and support from both fans and family.
As the hosts asked if they anticipated such tremendous support, Joaquin reflected on how disconnected they felt from the outside world during their stay. He imparted, “Honestly, wala kaming nararamdaman sa loob ng Bahay. As in parang ‘yon talaga ang mundo namin. We're so encapsulated sa bahay na ‘yon na wala kaming nararamdaman sa labas. So, as in paglabas namin, shocked kaming lahat.”
Recalling their Big Night experience, both revealed that their first reaction upon stepping onstage was a stunned “OMG,” or “oh my gosh,” out of sheer disbelief upon seeing the immense number of people rallying for them inside the venue. Ashley also shared being teary-eyed upon while the eight of them were leaving the house, as she realized how many people were working behind the scenes.
With regard to the first-ever person they saw from the crowd during the fantastic event, Ashley said that she immediately spotted her beloved mommy, while Joaquin noticed both his parents—especially his dad, Neil Arce, who really caught his attention because he kept standing from his seat and pacing back and forth at the audience area as everyone waited for the results.
The 3rd Big Placers then showed enthusiasm when quizzed about their most favorite memories inside the “PBB” house as friends, initially urging one another to blurt out the word that reminded them of a particular moment. Thinking they had the same answer, they were taken aback when they actually didn’t.
Ashley mentioned “CCTV,” since she and Joaquin used to play with the only accessible closed-circuit TV camera inside the house they fondly called “Bob.” On the other hand, Joaquin chose “lugaw” recalling a time when the rice he cooked didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to, so Ashley came to the rescue and turned it into rice porridge.
The conversation then shifted to their respective “ships” with ex-housemate Rave Victoria and Big Winner Lella Ford—both of which have gained a strong following. As the “Longing Sweetheart ng Las Piñas" dropped the bomb that Rave has already started courting her during her recent interview with Boy Abunda, the hosts quizzed her about any update on this.
She imparted that she’s happy at present and that Rave—whom she described as “genuine,” “respectful,” “understanding,” and “patient”—continues to woo her. Furthermore, she also confirmed she considers him an “ideal guy” without batting an eyelash.
Just as he probably thought that he was already spared from being questioned about his “ship” with Lella, Joaquin was apparently surprised when he was asked regarding the bracelet he had given her. According to him, the bracelet was actually a gift from his grandma yet decided to give it to Lella as he saw how much she liked it so much. Since they’ve been friends for quite some time before they entered Bahay ni Kuya, the “Rising Dreamer ng Muntinlupa” didn’t hesitate to give it to her two weeks into the competition.
As they always tease one another, not to mention that he can be his true self in her presence and that she has his back through whatever, Joaquin described Lella as “cool.” He went on to describe their friendship as “deep,” explaining, “We’re really each other’s net. Kumbaga, we always got each other. We know we’re always there for each other.”
When asked regarding the best piece of advice they got from their special “ships,” Ashley related that Rave has encouraged her to communicate openly, which is something she now applies to all her other relationships.
Joaquin suddenly chimed in to relate that the AshRave tandem actually had tons of Korean drama-like interactions when they were still inside the house, even divulging that they actually have one of the official soundtracks of “Goblin” as their theme song. Ashley, in turn, recounted Joaquin and Lella’s “slow-mo” moments, such as when they would fall off the benches during their rehearsals for their “Sayaw sa Bangko” performance.
Joaquin and Ashley were then filled with excitement as they shared their favorite fan edits of themselves with the other housemates that they’d seen on the internet. According to Ashley, she enjoyed the compilations of their funny core memories, as well as that clip wherein she leaned on Rave’s shoulder as she uttered “I’m tired.”
Meanwhile, Joaquin mentioned the fan edits that made us of Nick Jonas’ song “Jealous,” featuring his candid reactions to Lella’s interactions with the other male housemates. When teasingly asked by Ashley if he was indeed guilty of being jealous, Joaquin refused to confirm and simply said that he would just leave it up to their shippers to interpret.