Fresh from their experience inside the Pinoy Big Brother house, the dynamic duo of AC Bonifacio and Ashley Ortega, more popularly known as "ACLey" by fans, are reflecting on the impact of their time with Kuya. The two opened up about the valuable lessons they learned and the cherished memories forged within those iconic yellow walls.

For AC, the reality show served as a powerful catalyst for self-discovery, unveiling a leadership quality she hadn't fully recognized before. "What I learned about myself is my leadership skills," she shared candidly. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen how strong I was as a leader before, and now I realize it could be taken differently, which I know I can tone down."

The Kapamilya artist noted that her inherent drive and dedication shone through, especially when tackling house tasks. "My hunger and dedication are different when it comes to being a leader or even just offering suggestions to reach a goal. I realized that my leader mindset is very strong."

Meanwhile, Kapuso actress Ashley found her Big Brother stint to be a journey of embracing vulnerability, a side she typically kept guarded. "I learned that showing your vulnerable side is not a sign of weakness," Ashley revealed.

"Actually, in the house, I was so vulnerable. And to be honest, I’m not usually that emotional outside, like crying for a whole week straight. Kuya somehow made me cry that much."

She continued, "He made me feel a lot of emotions, even within the house. But I showed my vulnerable side, and it’s not a weakness. So, I’m proud I did, and I hope I can inspire and love people because of it."

Despite their relatively short stay of nearly three weeks, AC and Ashley, who were the first evictees on 29 March, formed genuine connections with their fellow housemates and created lasting memories. They fondly recalled their initial moments stepping into the house, a wave of excitement and surprise washing over them.

"When we first stepped into Kuya’s house, we were overwhelmed because we didn’t expect it. I’m sure you’ve experienced it too, where after removing the blindfold, we were already inside," AC reminisced with a smile. "It was that mysterious for us. I was surprised to see the legendary swimming pool and the renovations. I was overwhelmed by the new house."

Ashley echoed this sentiment, still marveling at the opportunity to be part of Pinoy Big Brother, especially as a representative from a different network. "I couldn’t believe I was inside Bahay ni Kuya. Just like AC said, when you enter, you’re already at the pool area. I was so shocked. Never in a million years did I think I’d get the chance to be part of PBB," she stated.

Expressing her gratitude for being part of the groundbreaking ABS-CBN and GMA collaboration, she added, "When I was inside, I thought, ‘Wow, I can’t believe this. I’m here, GMA is here, and this is a collaboration. A celebrity collab.’"

Fans can continue to follow the Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition every weeknight at 10 PM and on weekends at 6:15 PM via GMA Network, as well as online through live streams on Pinoy Big Brother’s YouTube channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), and iWantTFC.