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Joli and Gwen reflect about their ‘situationship’ and what lies ahead as they relive their “PBB Gen 11” experience 

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Liezel dela Cruz

As 2-in-1 housemates on “<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/pbbgen112024">Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11,</a>” Joli Alferez and Gwen Montano showcased what love, care, and friendship can look like. Their unique ‘situationship’ captured the hearts of a young, goal-driven audience who understand that romance doesn’t need to be rushed.Their evolving ‘connection’ sparked conversations about juggling friendship and romantic potential, the ups and downs of young love, and personal growth. Now that they’ve stepped out of the PBB house, Joli and Gwen are ready to open up about their relationship and share their favorite memories and lessons learned inside Bahay Ni Kuya.After their <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/pbbgen112024/videos/day-50-welcome-back-sa-outside-world-joli-and-gwen-367332">eviction on September 7</a>, Joli and Gwen are back to enjoying the outside world—and perhaps the instant fame they’ve gained. They were all smiles as they shared how people now recognize them in public places. As always, they’ve been inseparable since. Their first stop after eviction night? A café, where they indulged in all the pastries they’d missed.<div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="06b9cac5decc13edae3497a22831561a" data-ivs-spid="3001384" data-ivs-vid="3068574"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div>Looking back on how they ended up on PBB, the tandem shared that it all began a month after their graduation in Dentistry. Joli was the first to decide to audition and convinced Gwen—who had a passion for theater—to join in. Initially, Gwen was hesitant and planned to just support Joli by dropping her off at the audition venue. But as the process went on, he found himself drawn into the experience as well and decided to join Joli.They arrived at the venue at 5 a.m., only to find themselves at the tail end of a huge crowd. The sheer number of people intimidated Joli, making her second-guess her decision to audition. Seeing other hopefuls who seemed more glamorous and even spotting some famous faces made her doubt herself. But despite the nerves, they decided to press on.It felt like fate was playing tricks on them when Gwen was announced as the first to make it through, while Joli had to wait. It turns out the staff nearly missed Joli’s name on the last page of the shortlist.As everyone knows, Joli entered Bahay Ni Kuya before Gwen. She was given a secret task by Big Brother to pretend she was in a ‘situationship’ with fellow housemate JP Cabrera, when in reality, Gwen was her true ‘situationship.’ The task made her first nights in the house a mix of pressure and excitement.One of the highlights of their PBB journey was when they finally got to be housemates together. You could really feel the ‘kilig’ between them when, during a game, <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/pbbgen112024/videos/day-33-joli-at-gwen-magkasama-na-sa-loob-ng-bahay-ni-kuya-366630">Joli was blindfolded and had to guess which housemate was in front of her.</a> Little did she know, Gwen was the one she was about to identify.From the first touch and scent, she instantly knew it was him. When their hands intertwined, it was like magic—perfectly fitting just as she remembered. When the blindfold came off, Joli couldn’t contain her excitement and gave Gwen a big hug. She described that moment as “ecstatic,” and it’s one she cherishes deeply.Being the newest arrivals in Bahay Ni Kuya, the pair felt a bit awkward at first trying to mingle with the other housemates. But overall, everyone was really friendly and welcoming. “Lahat ng housemates kalog, very fun people,” shared Gwen. Plus, they had each other for support, with Joli helping Gwen adjust since she’d been there longer.Joli described her experience inside the PBB house as “unexpected and full of surprises,” calling it a “magical” place. Once you become a housemate, you learn to cherish every day and find joy in every moment. As Gwen put it, “Kahit ‘yung days na tahimik, may mahahanap at mahahanap kang magagawa.”<div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="06b9cac5decc13edae3497a22831561a" data-ivs-spid="3001384" data-ivs-vid="3068576"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div>While they were in the house, Joli and Gwen got real about their dynamic, admitting they were in a ‘situationship.’ Explaining what that means, Gwen said, “It feels like ‘kami na’ pero it’s not official. So, nagliligawan kami. Wala lang ‘yes’ pero, in a way, kami.” Joli added, “Ang alam ko lang, nanliligaw siya. Tapos kaming dalawa talaga ang madalas magkasama… Alam ko na may gusto siya tapos sinabi ko rin naman sa kanya na gusto ko siya. Parang naging ‘situationship’ siya kasi para talagang kami–nagde-date kami, sabay kaming kumakain, ‘pag may problema sa pasyente nagtutulungan kami, sabay kaming gumagawa ng trabaho.”But why hasn’t the ‘ship’ sailed yet? The decision is mainly up to Joli, as she’s the one being pursued. Though she likes Gwen, she doesn’t want to have an official relationship just yet due to other priorities, like wanting her sister to finish her Nursing studies before she fully commits to romance. Gwen understands and is okay with being friends for now.“Ang friendship namin, very pure, very genuine, ever since gano’n talaga kami,” Joli shared. While they’re clear that they’re just friends for now, they both understand that the future is unpredictable. If the right time comes and they’re no longer on the same page, Joli admits she would be hurt. But she’d prioritize Gwen’s happiness because, for her, Gwen deserves the best.Gwen feels the same way, saying he’d choose to be happy for Joli no matter what, even if it means he might not be part of her future.“We’ll see,” he said, and Joli smiled in agreement.“I’m very happy talaga na na-meet ko si Gwen kasi sobrang nag-iba din talaga ‘yung mundo ko,” expressed Joli, noting how she used to be very idealistic until Gwen showed her the importance of embracing her true emotions.Gwen feels the same way, expressing gratitude for how Joli has helped him become a better man. “Kung sa kanya, naturo ko is ‘life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows.’ Sa akin, ang naturo niya is that ‘life can have sunshine and rainbows.’”They might be opposites, but they still match perfectly.Joli and Gwen left the PBB house bringing with them fond memories and experiences, plus some valuable lessons from Big Brother. Joli’s heart swelled just looking back at a time when she felt overshadowed by other housemates who were talented singers and dancers, and then Kuya reminded her that she was chosen because she has a unique spark that shines and inspires others, and that she had already achieved so much before even stepping into the house. It’s a heartwarming reminder she’ll always carry with her.Gwen also had his moment of doubt when he was chosen to lead their theatrical play. The pressure was so intense it nearly made him sick (and, aww, Joli even made him calamansi tea to help him through). But after the task, Big Brother told him that their show’s 96/100 approval rating from the audience was all the validation he needed.And in every moment they feel like giving up, Joli and Gwen know they can always count on each other. No matter what, they’ve got each other&#x27;s backs. They’re truly a solid 2-in-1 tandem.Catch “<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/pbbgen112024">Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11</a>,” airing weeknights at 10:15 PM and Saturdays at 8:30 PM on <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-channel-livestream-12685">Kapamilya Channel</a>,<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/kapamilya-online-live-12710"> Kapamilya Online Live</a>, TV5, and A2Z. On Sundays, catch it at 8:30 PM on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z, and at 9:30 PM on TV5.

Ex-housemates Joli Alferez and Gwen Montano on PBB Gen 11, love, and their future together. 