For the ‘PBB’ duo CharEs, being accepted is their ‘big winner’ moment

Housemates Charlie Fleming and Esnyr Ranollo, a.k.a. CharEs, finished as the third-place duo in the recently concluded “Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition,” the historic partnership between two major entertainment platforms in the country — ABS-CBN and GMA.

Brent Manalo and Mika Salamanca, also known as the Selfless Duo BreKa, were named the Big Winner Duo. The second-place big winners were Ralph de Leon and Will Ashley, or RaWi.

Days before the Big Night, many people were predicting that CharEs would be the big winner, and I watched intently during the finale to see the final verdict.

Esnyr had high hopes, too, and who wouldn’t?

“We’ve been vocal about it (to be a big winner), especially me, but before the Big Night, Charlie and I were praying, surrendering everything to the Lord. That’s why I felt that what happened was truly the Lord’s will for all of us. It’s not about losing but accepting His grace,” said Esnyr.

Charlie, on the other hand, was vocal about her appreciation for people who expressed their love and support. “It’s really the love that we receive from the people and the acceptance that we receive from them. That’s the big winner moment.”

Inside the “PBB” house, Esnyr was one of the most loved housemates. He was never nominated for eviction because everyone loved him. That’s why he didn’t expect that no housemate would choose him as a final duo. It was a painful experience for Esnyr.

The painful experience caused Esnyr to question himself. He felt that his effort to make everyone happy inside the house was not enough. “But that moment also gave me the feeling that what happened was a redirection.”

Charlie, who was evicted but later voted back in as a housemate, said she would choose Esnyr over and over again. “Siya po talaga ‘yung first choice po the moment I left the house, because I got evicted already a month ago, and before I got evicted, Esnyr told me that he wanted me as his final duo.”

“And even if it could’ve just been my thing or anything, but it was something that I held on to because I know that we had a common ground already. We had that common ground — we love our family, we come from the province, and we’re both Bisaya. So, if I had to fight with someone, I’d fight it with Esnyr,” added she.

Some observers said that Esnyr would seldom speak Bisaya, while inside the “PBB” house, unlike Charlie and AC Bonifacio, who often had hilarious moments speaking Bisaya as they took on daily challenges.

“Perhaps, they couldn’t watch (the show) 24/7. Nag-Bi-Bisaya po talaga ako, pero mostly nag-Ta-Tagalog po kasi ito ‘yung nakasanayan ng mga tao. Nag-Ta-Tagalog po ako sa content ko. It’s also my way to widen my audience, parang kumbaga ako na po ‘yung nag-adjust para hindi na po mapagod ‘yung mga writers na mag-sulat ng subtitle,” reasoned Esnyr, who spoke Bisaya the whole time when his father visited him inside the “PBB” house.

“I truly carry my roots. All the time, dala-dala ko sila. And I’m proud to be Bisaya. It’s something that I shared with the whole world,” he added.

Meanwhile, Charlie showed remarkable maturity at 16 years old when asked about her opinion on being compared to another “PBB” alum Sofia “Fyang” Smith, the big winner of “PBB Gen 11.”

“Actually, nagugulat po talaga ako, natatakot po talaga ‘ko because I really don’t want to be compared to other artists, especially po in a derogatory way,” she stressed.

“’Yung wisdom po and being mature, it really comes from experience. It comes from understanding po. I haven’t spoken up about it because it’s definitely not something I want to put myself in.”

Charlie shared that she’s not friends with Fyang, except for one time that they’ve met. “I’ve said ‘Hello’ and I’ve introduced myself. But we don’t actually follow each other (on social media).”