Shuvee Etrata’s goal in PBB: To provide permanent home for family

CEBU, Philippines — As the last Kapuso housemate announced to be part of “Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition,” Shuvee Etrata entered the PBB house as an unknown to most viewers. Initially called by a few as a “Starlet ng Kamuning,” she had a lot to prove.

Based on the emotional responses from the public during the sixth eviction round on June 14, when she and her Kapamilya housemate Klarrise De Guzman (collectively known as ShuKla) were evicted, it’s safe to say she has shed that derogatory label for good.

Throughout her 62-day stay inside the house, the Island Ate ng Cebu displayed the qualities of a potential Big Winner. Her strong determination to secure the title, especially during tasks, was matched by her relatable, likable personality and her distinct Bisaya-flavored humor, which charmed fans and casual viewers alike.

In the days leading up to the eviction, a certain Duo B — later revealed to be ShuKla — was leading the voting. As of a June 10 poll, they had 47.84%. Six hours before eviction night, they were still ahead with 40.92%.

However, a last-minute surge from supporters of Duo A — later revealed to be DusBi, the duo of Dustin Yu and Bianca de Vera —pushed Shuvee and Klarrise to the bottom with 31.50%, trailing closely behind the AZVer duo of AZ Martinez and River Joseph, who garnered 31.67%, a slim 0.17% difference.

Regardless of the outcome, public support for ShuKla was loud and clear, including from public figures such as Kapamilya stars like Vice Ganda, Sharlene San Pedro, and Chie Filomeno who expressed dismay over their eviction, as well as Kapuso journalist Kara David who described the duo as the “pinakatotoo sa loob ng bahay ni Kuya.”

Some of Shuvee’s strongest supporters, aside from her family, came from her bosses at GMA Network, whose in-house talent agency Sparkle signed her in 2023.

“The real big winner [was] crowned tonight,” wrote GMA’s Vice President and Head of Talent Management Annette Gozon-Valdes on her Instagram Story, calling Shuvee her “forever a Big Winner.”

Sparkle’s First Vice President Joy Marcelo, who was present at the eviction and embraced Etrata after the show, affirmed that she is destined for stardom. Reposting an old TikTok video of Shuvee on her Instagram Story, which was one of the clips that led Sparkle to sign her, Marcelo said, “First time I saw you, [you] are meant for bigger things in the outside world! We love you!”

Since signing with Sparkle, Shuvee landed her first acting role in 2023 as Kring-Kring in “Hearts on Ice,” a drama series starring Ashley Ortega, who later became her close friend and flatmate. She also ventured into hosting, most notably in the morning show “Unang Hirit.”

Her biggest break post-PBB is her supporting role as Veshdita in “Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre,” which premieres at 8 tonight on GMA Network.

With growing public clamor for more projects, it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect her to headline her own series or even a romantic-comedy film soon. In a FREEMAN interview last December, Shuvee said a rom-com is her dream genre as she continues to hone her acting through workshops.

Notably, she was a staple presence in branded tasks sponsored by PBB’s partners, suggesting endorsement deals may be on the horizon for the Cebuana once the show concludes on July 5.

Shuvee’s mother Jorena, added, “I expect that Shuvee will have more exposure after PBB. I am very positive that Ma’am Annette and Miss Joy are going to take good care of her.”

In an industry dominated by the offsprings of familiar names, Shuvee carved her own path. With no industry connections, she built her career from her TikTok following and her pageant experience through Mutya ng Pilipinas in 2019 and Hiyas ng Pilipinas in 2022.

She paused her studies at Cebu Doctors’ University and left her home in Bantayan Island for Manila to support her family through showbiz.

As the eldest of nine siblings, Shuvee’s ultimate goal for clinching the Big Winner title with Klarrise was to secure a house and lot for her family, who has constantly moved from one temporary home to another.

When ShuKla was formed and gained positive feedback from netizens, a Facebook post went viral quoting a conversation between Shuvee and her mom before she entered the PBB house, which gained traction after it was translated into Tagalog: “Ma, last big shot na lang ni nako sa PBB. Kung dili gyud para nako ang showbiz, mobalik na lang ko diha Cebu para mutiwas eskwela.”

After the eviction, Etrata had an emotional video call with her family in Cebu. The video, shared by Sparkle’s social media pages, quickly went viral.

Jorena recounted what transpired during that call: “Shuvee apologized to us that she wasn’t able to win and give us a home, not knowing the public loved her and wanted her to win. Knowing Shuvee, she was determined to give us a permanent home. But I assured her that it’s okay and we are proud of her.”

Shuvee’s mom recalled how her daughter felt the same after not winning a title at Mutya ng Pilipinas despite making the top seven finalists. “She felt like a failure that time, but I told her that it’s okay,” she said.

While Shuvee may be far from her family, Jorena finds comfort in knowing that her showbiz friends, like Ortega, assured her they look after her.

“Whatever happens, house or not, we are happy for Shuvee and for everything she’s achieving,” Jorena added. “Those are blessings for us.

At the end of Saturday’s eviction episode, host Bianca Gonzales teased that viewers would still get to see more of Shuvee and Klarrise. Yesterday, it was revealed that they, along with the other evicted duos, would return to the PBB house as “duo house challengers.”

The “house challengers” format was first introduced in the “Gen 11” season, where evicted housemates returned to face off with the remaining contestants in various tasks — testing whether they deserved to continue fighting for a spot until the Big Night. This twist also includes the possibility that a challenger could eliminate an active housemate and take their place.

As of press time, it remains unclear whether these mechanics, especially the chance for a duo to return as competing housemates, will also apply in the ongoing edition.

Whatever the outcome, viewers can expect Shuvee and Klarrise to give it their all in upcoming challenges, even if they’re no longer official housemates.

“Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition” airs weeknights at a new timeslot of 9:35 p.m. on GMA, Kapuso Stream, and ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel, with a 10:15 p.m. replay on Kapamilya Online Live. It also airs Saturdays at 6:15 p.m. on all of the aforementioned platforms.