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Xyriel and Vince reveal they got calls from Donny Pangilinan after their "PBB Collab" eviction

Article (news)

Liezel Dela Cruz

Some endings hurt, but others feel like a gentle close to a meaningful chapter. That’s exactly how Xyriel Manabat and Vince Maristela made their graceful exit from “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/pinoy-big-brother-collab" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition</a>.” No drama, just pure gratitude and smiles as they stepped out of Bahay Ni Kuya.  Although they’ve only just returned to the outside world, both are already missing the little things from inside Big Brother’s house, like waking up to the “PBB” theme song as their alarm or the daily ritual of putting on their name tags and lapel mics. Vince joked, “Parang nakalimutan ko nang mag-cellphone, gano’n kalala.” Right after eviction, the “Golden Anaktres ng Rizal” and the “Charming Bro-Next-Door ng Cainta” treated themselves to a well-deserved chicken inasal, which they definitely missed (because we all know how tight the housemates’ food budget is). They also reunited with their families and were warmly welcomed by fans outside the house. For Vince especially, the outpouring of support was a surprise, considering he’s still a newcomer in showbiz and he never expected to receive that much love so soon. Vince entered “PBB Collab” during the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/4/1/day-24-housemates-makilala-kaya-sina-emilio-at-vince-pbb-collab-2335" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">third week as part of the second-to-the-last batch of housemates alongside Emilio Daez</a>, and since it was already the show’s third week, he felt like the housemates had begun to form their own rhythm. &quot;Sink or swim lang talaga pagpasok namin,&quot; he recalled. There was excitement, but also a hint of anxiety, knowing he would have to navigate a space where bonds had already been built. Good thing he came in with Emilio, who, along with Ralph de Leon, was his batchmate back in high school, so the adjustment didn’t feel too heavy.  Xyriel, on the other hand, came in a few days later during the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/4/14/day-37-kuya-welcomes-his-newest-housemates-shuvee-and-xyriel-pbb-collab-2259" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fourth week, alongside Sparkle artist Shuvee Etrata</a>. Unlike Vince and Emilio, who had to wear costumes for a mystery introduction, Xyriel’s entrance was pretty straightforward. She walked in as part of a pretend press conference, where she was immediately met with loud screams from her fellow Star Magic artists Bianca De Vera and Esnyr.  &quot;Balak ko talaga maging prim and proper muna sa umpisa. Sabi kasi ni Kuya press con, so kunwari pormal, demure ako. Eh, binungaran ako ng sigaw, alangan naman hindi ko ibalik &#x27;yung energy. So, sigaw-sigaw na rin. Ayun, nadala ko na buong gabi na sobrang ingay ko,&quot; she enthused, laughing. Xyriel added that it was only her second time seeing Esnyr in person, which surprised the other housemates. According to Xyriel, she didn’t really get to hang out with most of the Kapamilya housemates pre-“PBB.” She was only closest to Ralph de Leon, since they’re both part of the “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/highstreet2024/articles-videos/5-kilig-instances-doc-kevin-showed-genuine-feelings-for-roxy-in-high-street-22607" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">High Street</a>” barkada, and Bianca, her co-star in the upcoming series “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.” Vince felt the same. He hadn’t really gotten close with most of the Kapuso stars before joining “PBB,” aside from the occasional “hi-hello” at work, except maybe for Michael Sager, with whom he had more interactions. Ironically, the housemates he knew the longest were actually Kapamilya stars Emilio and Ralph, who were both his high school batchmates, hence their running joke that joining PBB felt like a reunion to them. Since the current “PBB” edition was announced, one thing viewers were curious about was how the housemates from different talent management arms would get along once they’re under one roof. As it turned out, the connections didn&#x27;t feel forced. For Xyriel, the first Sparkle artists she had  conversations with were Mika Salamanca and Will Ashley. She was actually surprised because Will and Mika were considered two of the quietest housemates, but they ended up chatting like they’d known each other for a while. As for Vince, his first closest Kapamilya ties were with Ralph and Emilio, who, as mentioned earlier, were his high school batchmates. “PBB”&#x27;s current season is titled &quot;Celebrity Collab Edition&quot; and it was exactly what it delivered—‘collab’ and unexpected friendships among Kapamilya and Kapuso artists, as well as the celebrity houseguests. The day after their eviction, both Vince and Xyriel got a sweet surprise when Donny Pangilinan, who once joined as a houseguest, called to check on them. “Napaka-genuine din talaga ni Donny,” Vince said. “Na-feel ko talaga na kung ano ‘yung nabuo sa loob, hindi siya nawala paglabas. Ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na ganu’n ‘yung nangyari.”  The fact that Donny reached out says a lot about the connections built inside Bahay Ni Kuya.  While most housemates would enter a game plan probably picked up from past editions, hoping to ace the tasks and secure a spot in the Big Night, Vince and Xyriel went in without any strategy. Vince chose not to watch previous seasons as he wanted to experience everything with a fresh perspective. Besides, he believes every batch of housemates has their own mix of personalities. &quot;Ang importante naman du’n ‘yung pagkakakilala mo sa mga housemates at pagkakakilala nila sa&#x27;yo. Kung mabuti kang tao, lalabas at lalabas din naman &#x27;yun, eh,&quot; he thought.  On the other hand, Xyriel had always been a fan of the show so she had an idea of what the setup looked like, but being there felt completely different. Still, even with all the excitement, she chose not to overthink things. Her only goal was to stay present and enjoy the experience. &quot;Go with the flow lang talaga. At lagi mong tandaan na nasa loob ka [ng Bahay Ni Kuya], so lahat ng naiwan mo, iwan mo muna sa labas. Kasi wala ka nang kontrol du&#x27;n, masisiraan ka ng bait kung &#x27;yun ang iisipin mo habang nagse-stay ka sa Bahay Ni Kuya,&quot; she said.  During their stay, viewers also got to know a deeper side of Xyriel and Vince, far beyond the glammed-up versions people usually see on screen. <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/5/3/day-56-xyriel-ikinuwento-ang-pinagdaanan-ng-kaniyang-pamilya-pbb-collab-1959" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Xyriel earned praise when she opened up about supporting her family financially</a> since her early years as a child actress. But despite that, she doesn’t like being called a “breadwinner,” saying she never wants to discredit her parents’ contributions. Asked about it now, Xyriel says she’s found peace with her role as her family’s main provider. Whatever issues she once had toward her family have already been settled with them—and within herself. “Ngayon, lagi kong sinasabi na team kami. Wala sa amount na pino-provide namin sa bahay at para sa mga kapatid ko &#x27;yung estado ng tiwala, kundi nando&#x27;n &#x27;yun sa motibo namin na tulungan kami para may mapakain kami sa pamilya,” she mused. She added that once her siblings finish their studies, she also plans to send her parents back to school &quot;para mabalik sa  kanila &#x27;yung ego at pride na magulang sila.&quot; She doesn’t want her parents to ever feel ashamed for relying on their child or to think they’re being judged because of their family’s setup.  As for Vince, one of his most talked-about “PBB Collab” moments was his <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/4/16/day-39-josh-at-vince-nagkatensyon-sa-kanilang-paghaharap-pbb-collab-2321" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">conflict with housemate Josh Ford</a>. The two had an intense back-and-forth, which later sparked conversation online, when Vince got offended by a joke from Josh, who suggested they pour &#x27;sopas&#x27; into Vince&#x27;s tumbler instead of taking a bowl.  In his and Xyriel&#x27;s recent Kapamilya Chat guesting, Vince shared that he’s already seen <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/5/28/josh-ford-looks-back-on-his-pbb-collab-journey-book-club-kish-and-clash-with-vince-0019" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Josh’s interviews about the incident</a>. He echoed what Josh said—that the misunderstanding was resolved even before Josh’s eviction—and he sees the whole thing as just one part of their friendship’s highs and lows. “Alam naman namin na genuine kami sa isa’t isa. Alam ko naman na si Josh ay napakabuting tao,” he said. Now that he’s also back in the outside world, Vince is looking forward to catching up with Josh soon.  Xyriel jumped in, &quot;Gano&#x27;n kami ka-fast paced sa loob ng bahay na kapag may issue at na-resolve na, cool na lahat, moving forward na talaga at settled na siya.&quot;That&#x27;s why she&#x27;s honestly surprised by the so-called “issues” being brought up now, as it never felt that way inside the house. &quot;Sobrang light at sobrang smooth ng samahan namin sa loob,&quot; she pressed. &quot;Hindi namin alam na dumaan kami ng ilang araw doon tapos may ganu&#x27;ng [issues] pala. Nakakagulat.&quot; Speaking of moments that got the internet talking, another viral highlight from Vince’s “PBB” stint was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/4/20/day-43-bianca-at-az-nakuha-ang-immunity-sa-2nd-duo-battle-pbb-collab-2008" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the “Color Blocks” task he did with his duo Brent Manalo</a>. In the challenge, the housemates must stack blocks according to matching colors, but viewers noticed how Vince struggled to keep up, giving Brent a hard time. Some netizens even assumed Vince might be color blind. When asked about it during Kapamilya Chat, Vince admitted he had difficulty identifying the colors during the task. While he hasn’t been clinically diagnosed with color blindness, the way people have pointed it out is now making him consider getting it checked. In the end, Vince and Xyriel may not have made it to the Big Night, but their journey inside the ”Pinoy Big Brother” house left a strong impact. And now, as they step into their next chapters in the outside world, both are moving forward with the same honesty and sincere kindness that carried them through the “PBB” experience.

Xyriel Manabat and Vince Maristela reveal they got calls from ex-houseguest Donny Pangilinan after their "PBB Collab" eviction.

Xyriel Manabat and Vince Maristela reveal they got calls from ex-houseguest Donny Pangilinan after their "PBB Collab" eviction.