On Tuesday night, April 1, 2025, the Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Celebrity Collab Edition house turned into an emotional rollercoaster as housemates opened up about parts of their lives they don’t usually share.
Last time, Esnyr Ranollo had everyone laughing with his quick wit and goofy charm, breaking the tension in what was a pretty heavy night. But this time? He flipped the script. The actor-content creator let his guard down completely, showing a side of himself that hit everyone right in the feels—his housemates and everyone watching at home.
You know how they say the people who smile the brightest often carry the heaviest stuff? That was Esnyr that night. No one else’s story tugged at the heartstrings quite like his. He’d already told us before about how his parents almost ended up in jail because of crushing debts—and how he scrambled to pull together the cash to keep them out. But in this episode, he went deeper, spilling the messy, painful details of what happened after.
“Every day, gagawa ako ng script, mag-eedit ako, magsu-shoot ako—tapos sobrang busy ko that time,” he said, setting the scene.
“…nag-memessage sila Papa sa akin, kasi monthly silang nag-memessage na ‘nasan na ang pera,’ ganyan,”. You could hear the exhaustion in his voice, like he was reliving it all over again.
What followed was a revelation that visibly shook Esnyr. “Hindi ako nakapag-reply, doon ko unang natanggap ‘yung unang message sa akin ng papa ko na ‘grabe ka magpasarap sa buhay dyan, kaya mong makita parents mo naghihirap? Pero sige lang, gusto kong malaman mo na mabubuhay kami kahit wala ka,’” he recounted, sharing the stinging words from his father, who accused him of living extravagantly while neglecting his struggling family.
You could see the weight of it on his face—the kind of hurt that sticks with you. Esnyr talked about how he’s always been the one holding things together, but it’s never felt like enough. “Natatakot nga akong tawagin ang sarili ko na breadwinner,” he admitted.
“My dad’s like, ‘Wag mo namang i-take credit lahat kasi nagwo-work ka.’ Gets ko naman ‘yun, so hindi ko tinatawag ang sarili ko na breadwinner.”
He painted a picture of a relationship that’s more transactional than anything else. “Every month, it’s the same. Magmemessage siya sa akin, ‘Hello diyan, kumusta?’ Magre-reply ako, tapos after nun, always na nanghihingi,” Esnyr shared.
“Never ako na-chatan na ‘Kumusta na,’ kumusta lang. Never in my life na naging close kami. Never in my life na nakapagsabi ako ng ‘I love you’ sa kanya. And he’s never said it to me—or told me na sobrang saya ko na naging anak kita.”
It was raw, the way he laid it all out. You could tell he’s been carrying that ache for a long time. But then he shifted gears, talking about why he’s in the PBB house in the first place.
“Kaya gusto kong sumali dito kasi, hindi lang dream ko sa sarili ko na gusto maging kauna-unahang LGBT representation sa Big 4,” he said, a spark of hope lighting up his eyes.
“Pero talaga mostly para sa pamilya ko.”
And then, in this quiet, shaky voice, he spoke straight to his dad. “Pa, sobrang mahal na mahal kita, Pa. I’m doing everything for you.” It wasn’t loud or dramatic—just real. Like he needed his dad to hear it, even if he wasn’t sure it’d change anything.
By the time he finished, the room was a mess of tears. Esnyr’s story wasn’t just a TV moment—it was a glimpse into the guy behind the laughs, the one who’s been fighting for his family even when it hurts.
And now, as he chases that Big 4 spot, it’s clear he’s not just doing it for himself—he’s carrying them with him, every step of the way.
