Anna Marie Lukban

AZ and River on their 'uphill journey' in “PBB Collab,”rising above doubts and growing with grace and heart 

Article (news)

Liezel Dela Cruz

AzVer proved that real growth doesn’t need a grand entrance. They may have started &#x27;soft&#x27; but they finished strong. They bloomed slowly and beautifully, and now everyone’s paying attention.  Dubbed the “prayerful duo” of <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/pinoy-big-brother-collab">&quot;Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition,&quot;</a> AZ Martinez and River Joseph have captured hearts with their shared gentleness and selflessness, and their sibling-coded bond so natural that it feels like the universe played its part. People also called them the &quot;unexpected duo&quot; at first, but their &#x27;chemistry&#x27; proved they were more of a perfect match than a surprise. AZ had fire in her soul; River had calm in his bones. They fueled and steadied each other in all the right ways. They&#x27;ve made us believe a healthy friendship between a guy and a girl can exist, and that was exactly the connection they needed to power through as a duo, make it to the Big Four, and eventually win as the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/7/5/big-night-azver-is-the-4th-big-placer-duo-pbb-collab-2245">4th Big Placer.</a><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABc39WX7st60Ko5o"></script></div>AZ and River didn&#x27;t talk much during their first week inside Bahay Ni Kuya. She noticed that he was quiet, especially in group settings, but that he had a playful side that comes out when he&#x27;s with the boys. It wasn’t until one afternoon, when she saw River washing his hands at the sink, that she decided to approach him and casually asked if they could have a proper &#x27;kuwentuhan&#x27; the next day. River agreed, and the first thing they talked about was their families.  As the days passed, AZ came to see River as someone faithful, genuine, and selfless. She describes him as the perfect guy, “Best friend, brother… Everything na hahanapin mong best qualities in a guy, you can find it in him.&quot;  The &#x27;Sporty Business Bro ng Muntinlupa&#x27; smiles and responds that AZ is even more giving than he is. “Mas selfless pa si AZ,” he says, talking about the smallest acts inside the house that revealed her character, such as how she would give up her share of eggs—one of the most valued food items in the house due to their limited budget and strict rationing—just so her housemates could have more to eat. “Nakita namin kung gaano kabuti ang puso niya.” Still, that doesn’t stop River from teasing her the way siblings do. He admits that he found her a little too much at first. &quot;OA naman nitong babaeng ‘to,&quot; he laughs, recalling what he thought of AZ during their first week as housemates. “But when I got to know her more on a deeper level, super sweet niya, super faithful… pero OA pa rin.” And like a proud Kuya, he speaks of her as one of the strongest fighters he knows, someone who never gives up.  We believe River when he says it’s impossible not to admire the kind of person AZ is, because even actress Jennica Garcia once expressed deep respect for her at the time when some viewers were mocking her for being emotional and prayerful. Jennica posted a lengthy message of support on social media, praising AZ for staying true to her feelings and for being unafraid to show vulnerability. Jennica also prayed that AZ would never come to see her tears as a weakness. When asked about the post, AZ shares that it was one of the first things her family told her about after the Big Night. “She took the time to post, to talk about me. Hindi po talaga ako kilala. Pero she knew me and she posted about me, sobrang sweet,” she says, still touched by the gesture. She hopes to one day see Jennica in person just so she can thank her, and if she’s allowed to dream big, she’d love to work with her, too. But while they&#x27;re both known for their selflessness, they also understand the importance of self-love. During their Kapamilya Chat interview, River has pointed out that “you can’t fill from an empty cup,” that it’s hard to give love to others when you don’t have any left for yourself. AZ agrees, saying that it’s about finding a balance between giving to others and taking care of yourself. She believes it&#x27;s crucial to be surrounded by the right people, &quot;People who you know are true, who are grounded, and who support you.&quot; For her, self-love includes choosing the kind of energy you keep close, also touching on the idea of give and take—when you pour into people who love you back, they’re going to fill your cup, too. And if some people still doubt them, with humility, AZ admits that maybe she wasn’t able to fully show her fire early on in the competition. &quot;Maybe may mga pagkukulang din ako. Maybe hindi ko naipakita talaga everything that I could do, &#x27;yong capabilities ko. So it&#x27;s understandable. I understand other people&#x27;s opinion kung bakit gano&#x27;n &#x27;yung tingin nila,&quot; reflects the &#x27;Miss Sunuring Daughter ng Cebu.&#x27; Even though she had already shown potential in several tasks from the early weeks, AZ didn’t believe she could do much during the first half of her stay. “I underestimated myself, so I can&#x27;t blame other people for also underestimating me.” <div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABc3_BHwF_neLcCL"></script></div>But she grew quietly, and people began to see her strength and resilience. &quot;Despite being underestimated, being thought na walang kayang gawin, nakita nila na may kaya ako.&quot; It helped that she was surrounded by housemates who saw her potential and accepted her without judgment, &quot;Because of them, I started to trust myself, have peace in myself, and love myself. Ngayon, sobrang happy ako. I&#x27;m at peace and I&#x27;m really grateful for the love and support.&quot;  AzVer respects everyone&#x27;s opinion. But they know not everything is within their control and they’re okay with that. River would rather focus on the ones who rooted for them from the beginning, those who believed they could reach the Big Four even before it became a reality. “Those are the people I really appreciate and really gained strength from kasi &#x27;yon talaga ang nag-motivate sa amin na lumaban talaga doon sa loob ng Bahay ni Kuya.” And with the kind of quiet wisdom he’s shown all season, he adds, “You’re not everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s okay. As long as you keep doing your best, you keep trying and trying again, you always get back up, and you surround yourself with people who care about you and love you and want to see you grow.” So how can you not admire AzVer, who holds themselves accountable, reflects with humility, and grows from every part of their journey? AZ and River never claimed to be perfect, but they&#x27;ve leaned into learning. They&#x27;ve faced criticism with grace and allowed their experiences—both the wins and the doubts—to shape them into stronger, more self-aware versions of themselves. “Prayers worked,” AzVer would say when asked about their whirlwind rise to stardom after “PBB Collab.” River smiles, musing, &quot;Hindi pa ako pagod,&quot; despite their lives being busier than ever. The Big Four Duos have been constantly on the move and swamped with work that they used to only dream about, but grateful for the opportunities and just enjoying the ride. With the “collab” theme extending beyond the show, their worlds as artists have started expanding, too. They&#x27;re discovering new spaces and building more connections. And while the work is fulfilling, AZ also finds joy in the little fangirl moments she gets to live out on the side, now that she’s frequently around the ABS-CBN compound for interviews and guest appearances. Most recently, she and some of her co-Kapuso ex-housemates showed up at the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/2025/7/21/photos-celebrities-spotted-courtside-at-star-magic-all-star-gamees-2025-1855">“Star Magic All-Star Games 2025”</a> wearing jerseys bearing River’s name to support him in his basketball match.  It was AZ’s first time seeing the event live, and she couldn’t contain her excitement after getting starstruck by several Kapamilya celebrities in the arena, especially BINI, whom she got to watch perform in person for the first time. Attending the All-Star Games had long been on her bucketlist. She even tried to secure tickets last year but didn’t make the cut, so when she found out River would be playing in this year&#x27;s edition, she made sure to let him know she had to be there. The ex-housemates are happy that they still get to spend time together even after <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/pinoy-big-brother-collab">“PBB Collab”</a> wrapped up. But if anyone’s happier, it’s the fans, who are constantly thrilled by group sightings, random hangouts, and online interactions of the ex-housemates.  AZ and River are well aware that many viewers are crossing their fingers for the two of them to team up in a future project, possibly a rom-com, as some netizens have started comparing their chemistry to that of the iconic Rico Yan and Claudine Barretto tandem.  That fan clamor started after a cute little argument between them over the shower call inside Bahay ni Kuya, which, for many viewers, brought back memories of Rico and Claudine’s “layas” scene from the movie &quot;Radio Romance.&quot; Sure enough, AZ and River gave in to fans’ request to dub the scene. But boy, did the magic and chemistry feel even more alive when they did it live on Kapamilya Chat. They’ve also expressed interest in exploring other genres—horror, for one. “Si AZ po ’yong ghost,” jokes River, teasing his “little sister” once again. AZ, for her part, is also open to trying out action. But whatever the genre, their shared goal is to  work with more veteran actors, which River has already experienced when he starred alongside Piolo Pascual, Tirso Cruz III, and John Arcilla in the Kapamilya drama <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/PAMILYASAGRADO">&quot;Pamilya Sagrado.&quot; </a>For AZ and River, work is work. They’re genuinely happy for the blessings each of them receives, and they support each other fully. AZ lets out a playful “yiieehh!” when River mentions he’s excited for the premiere of &quot;The Four Bad Boys and Me&quot; because he gets to star alongside his girlfriend, Gela Alonte, in her very first acting project. “Invite mo ’ko sa premiere night,” AZ chimes in.  Both are also gearing up for rehearsals as they join their fellow housemates for the upcoming <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/pinoy-big-brother-collab">“PBB Collab”</a> fan convention titled “The Big ColLove,” happening this August 10.

AZ Martinez and River Joseph’s growth and grit make their journey so worth watching.

AZ Martinez and River Joseph’s growth and grit make their journey so worth watching.

AZ and River on their ‘uphill journey’ in “PBB Collab,” rising above doubts and growing with grace and heart

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AZ and River on their ‘uphill journey’ in “PBB Collab,” rising above doubts and growing with grace and heart

Liezel Dela Cruz

Published July 25, 2025 09:14 AM PHT

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Updated July 25, 2025 07:32 PM PHT

Read More:

AZ Martinez

River Joseph

AzVer

Kapamilya Chat

Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition

PBB Collab

PBB Collab Big Four

PBB Collab 4th Big Placer

The Big ColLove

Claudine Barretto

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