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Metro x Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition - Ashley Ortega

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Before she was dubbed the “Independent Tis-Ice Princess ng San Juan” in Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition, Ashley Ortega had already pirouetted through pressure and discipline as a competitive figure skater representing the Philippines in international ice rinks. Now with over a decade in the entertainment industry, Ashley’s played everything from complex, layered characters to slipping into a role that mirrors her own life as a figure skater in a teleserye. But it wasn&#x27;t until her stint inside the most-watched house that the nation got a glimpse of Ashley beyond the character scripts and into her most unfiltered self.Her three-week stay may seem brief by reality show standards, but it was no less transformative. Inside the Big Brother house, Ashley’s known as reserved, someone far from the flashy type who didn’t dominate conversations or seek the spotlight. Rather, she observed and eventually allowed herself to be vulnerable in front of an audience of millions.“If you&#x27;re a weak person, it’s actually you being strong enough to express what you feel,” she reflected on the rawness she displayed inside the house. Stripped of filters and staging, Ashley admitted that there were times she forgot the cameras were rolling, saying, “S’yempre aware rin naman ako na nasa loob ako ng PBB house. A lot of people are watching. But when I was inside the Confession Room, nakalilimutan ko na marami pa lang nanunuod.”It was being a housemate—away from the glamour of the outside world—that she began peeling away layers built from years of public perception and quiet protection. “Parang hinayaan ko na lang din. Sabi ko, ‘Bahala na. Bahala na i-hate ako. Bahala na kung malaman na nila ‘yung struggles ko personally,’” she continued. Watching Ashley in PBB was also seeing someone slowly melt the ice around her. Surrounded by bold, competitive personalities, she admitted she was intimidated at first, but soon she got the hang of it. <div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756267819543metro exclusive pbb celeb collab ashley ortega embed 3 (1).jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Ashley Ortega, as photographed by Dix Perez</div><div style="text-align:center"> </div>“Lahat ng housemates, strong personality sila. Akala ko magiging problem na magka-clash lahat kasi we&#x27;re all competitive. Lahat kami gustong manalo. Lahat kami gustong ma-achieve lahat ng mga task. [But] at the end of the day, we all have to accept that we’re all different,” Ashley told Metro.Style.It’s a sentiment many overlook in the game-like structure of PBB, but Ashley leaned into this truth: learning to co-exist with competitive personalities, understanding that clashes are part of human dynamics, and realizing that not everyone will resonate with you. “Siguro, hindi lahat ng tao sa araw na ‘to magkakasundo lahat. May days talaga na mao-off ka sa isang tao and that&#x27;s normal. Even when we live with our family, may mga alitan din naman, away magkapatid. So that&#x27;s when I realized na we can&#x27;t please everyone. We just have to accept them for who they are,” she put it.As she candidly shared, one of the biggest misconceptions people had of her was that she was not trustworthy. “They thought na parang hindi ako [mapagkakatiwalaang] tao or like, maybe I&#x27;m not genuine. Aminado naman ako, and I told the housemates that when I was there, kailangan lang talaga ng bwelo to get to know me more on a deeper level,” she revealed. It’s a sentiment many can relate to, especially those living life in the public eye. Her “resting bitch face,” as she jokingly labeled it, may have sparked quick judgments, but as soon as she spoke and softened, walls began to crumble.“Mataray din, misconception sa akin. Pero ‘pag nagsalita naman na, pa-sweet naman na. Mayroon kasi akong RBF (resting bitch face). Parang siguro ‘yun rin ‘yung misconception pero nagbago na. Close naman na kaming lahat ng mga housemate,” the actress explained.Her reserved nature was sometimes misread as aloofness. But for Ashley, that protective layer wasn’t about being distant but more of being discerning. “S’yempre hindi ka naman basta-basta mag-open up sa tao na hindi mo pa kakilala. That&#x27;s something personal to me, and that&#x27;s my personal struggle na natatakot ako that maybe someone can use it against me. So, I was also protective with my personal life and the people in my life,” Ashley further addressed another misconception.<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756031324957metro exclusive pbb celeb collab ashley ortega embed 2.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>On Ashley: Tube long dress from Mango</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756039252289acley pbb celeb collab.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>ACLey: AC Bonifacio and Ashley Ortega</div><div> </div>For someone who’s used to structure from training schedules to call times, life inside was like a crash course in surrendering control. Gone were the comforting routines of her solo life, the ease of ordering takeout at will, and the familiar hum of her independence. “It changed me in so many ways. [Sa] na-experience ko, kung ano&#x27;ng meron ka, kailangan mong makuntento,” she confessed.“Even ‘yung mga damit namin, maliit lang luggage namin e. Kung ano lang ‘yung damit namin, paulit-ulit ko dapat susuotin and hindi na dapat ako magko-complain about that,” she added.Ashley, along with her duo partner AC Bonifacio, may have carried a label that can sting: the first duo evictees, yet she sees it in a different light. “I think that&#x27;s the hardest thing to accept, ‘pag housemate ka tapos ikaw ‘yung first evictee, because bumebwelo ka pa lang e. Pero I&#x27;m grateful and no regrets sa three weeks ko sa loob ng Bahay ni Kuya because I gained so much na rin, so much learning, so much love in the outside world in a span of three weeks. Doon din talaga ako na-shock,” Ashley divulged.Her early exit became a blessing in disguise. In her words: “Isa rin ‘yun sa mga lesson sa akin na parang God will give you what you deserve. Right timing din naman siya sa akin. In the outside world, sobrang dami ko rin natanggap ng mga blessing. And, you know, I just have to accept na baka hanggang du’n lang talaga ‘yung PBB journey ko.” While others remained inside Kuya’s house, Ashley stepped back into the spotlight, this time armed with a mountain of projects. She’s currently working on a movie set for the Metro Manila Film Festival and preparing for a major teleserye, where she plays one of two lead female roles. “I&#x27;m just gonna do good as an actress. I&#x27;m gonna show my talent more sa mga taong nagmamahal at nagsusuporta sa akin. I’m just gonna continue what I love, which is acting,” Ashley ended.<div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756031588239metro exclusive pbb celeb collab ashley ortega embed 3.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div> </div>Photography by Dix PerezMetro head: Christina LopezSittings editors: Geolette Esguerra, Kate Paras-Santiago, Randz Manucom, and Grace Libero-CruzCreative director: Chookie CruzStylist: Edlene Cabral, assisted by Bullet ReyesMakeup artist and hairstylist: Jake Galvez and RJ dela CruzFashion associate: Carla BuyoEditorial assistants: Iya Baring and Krystel MatiasVideo producers: Giselle Interior and Tricia MatiasVideographer: Charisse Tinio&#x27;s NicePrint PhotoArt director: Alfred AmadoShoot assistants: Mariana Xerez-Burgos, Sophia Ancheta, and Katrice CuasonFood sponsors: Chowking, Bon Chon, and Illo&#x27;s Party Trays Special thanks to Pinoy Big Brother, Marcus Vinuya, Patch Bungubung, Charina Fernandez, Pia Laurel, and Sparkle GMA Artist Center

Not the longest stay, but the loudest lessons—Ashley Oretga finds her early eviction as a blessing in disguise.

Not the longest stay, but the loudest lessons—Ashley Oretga finds her early eviction as a blessing in disguise.

Metro Exclusive: Why Ashley Ortega’s Short Stay in 'PBB' Was Exactly Enough

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Metro Exclusive: Why Ashley Ortega’s Short Stay in 'PBB' Was Exactly Enough

Leigh Sofia Lazo

Published Aug 27, 2025 01:25 PM PHT

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Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition

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Ashley Ortega

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