Fresh from his journey as a “Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11” housemate, JM Ibarra was surprised that he was greeted like a celebrity by his family and friends when he recently visited his hometown for a short break. But while everyone was starstruck, JM himself felt like he was still the same ordinary guy who had left.

Before the newfound fame, JM's life was grounded in family, hard work, and a balance between fun and responsibilities. He enjoyed a comfortable childhood. However, life took a sudden turn, bringing challenges that forced him to step up for his family. When financial setbacks led him to stop schooling, JM became the family’s breadwinner, working wherever he could find opportunities. “Kung saan may pera, nando'n ‘yung JM,” he shared with a laugh, recalling the years he took on odd jobs, even serving as a judge in local pageants, that could bring in some income.

It was this same grit and determination that pushed him to audition for “PBB Gen 11.” He's honest to admit that he thought of the cash prize should he become the Big Winner and what it could mean for his family. Thus, he gathered the courage to show up at the audition despite being shy. He even put extra effort into preparing, like learning BINI’s “Pantropiko” and “Salamin, Salamin” dance routines in case the audition panel asked for his talent.

"Nahihiya po talaga ako kasi ang daming nakatingin. Halos nanginginig na ako sa pagsasalita no'n," he recalls. That’s why he was absolutely thrilled upon learning that he’d been chosen as one of the Season 11 housemates. But his first night inside Bahay Ni Kuya wasn’t quite the exhilarating experience he had imagined. For JM, the atmosphere felt a bit "dark," as he entered carrying some heavy personal baggage. “Mas iniisip ko ‘yung problema sa labas kaysa i-enjoy ko sa loob. Kaya mas lalong naging tahimik ako,” he shares. Instead of fully embracing the moment, he found himself withdrawn, his mind more focused on the worries he left in the "outside world."

In fact, he almost considered a voluntary exit during the first few weeks, feeling weighed down by his personal burdens and constant worries about his family. He thought it would be better to just earn sure money outside the house than gamble by taking his chances inside, where there was no certainty of winning.

JM struggled to connect with his fellow housemates at first until he confided in Binsoy Namoca, who reminded him of his goal for his family and encouraged him to stay strong. That conversation not only boosted JM’s resolve but also sparked a close friendship with Binsoy that would carry him through the challenges ahead.

With renewed strength, JM pushed through until he made it to the Top 5. But just when he was an inch closer to his dream of becoming the Big Winner, or at least joining the Big 4, JM faced eviction, bringing his PBB journey to an end. He admits he had a gut feeling that his time was up, so he had prepared himself for the moment. Though it wasn’t the ending he’d hoped for, JM accepted it wholeheartedly, especially since he had won a task that same week that earned him PHP 100,000. To him, that was enough of a reward he was grateful to take home to his family.

Like many housemates, JM held on to the mantra "mind over heart," but he admits there were moments when his emotions got the better of him. "Iniyak ko na lang," he laughed, recalling how he dealt with times when his heart won over his head.

JM sparked strong reactions from spectators due to his strategy of giving nomination points to housemates he viewed as intelligent, resourceful, and strong—traits that made them potential threats in the competition. When asked about this approach, JM revealed that he had considered this game plan beforehand.

"Alam kong magkakaroon ng maganda at solidong bonding ang mga housemates, kami. So, nag-isip lang ako ng bagay na maaari kong maging rason sa nomination nang hindi sila nahuhusgahan. Ang naisip ko lang, i-base sa katangian nila. Halimbawa, itong taong 'to, nakitaan ko na matalino, magaling, madiskarte. So, kung nakita ko 'yun sa'yo, 'matic mahihirapan na ako sa'yo," he explains. After all, it was still a competition, and he needed to stay in game mode win.

Viewers also scrutinized him for his closeness with fellow housemate Jas Dudley-Scales, as many questioned his sincerity towards her. To recall, he told Jas to "wait for him" in the outside world following her eviction. But people are now commenting that he didn’t stand by the feelings he had expressed for her while they were in the house.

In response to the criticism, JM explained that even while he was still inside the Big Brother house, he had made it clear to Jas and the other housemates that he might not be "ready" yet for a relationship, especially now that he hadn’t achieved his goal of making it to the Big 4.

"Pumasok ako ng PBB na sarili ko ang kailangan unahin. Lumabas ako, 'yun pa rin ang nakita ko. Kailangan ko pa rin ayusin ang sarili ko. Kailangan ko munang i-angat 'yung sarili ko bago ako pumasok sa isang relasyon," he states, adding that he and Jas had an honest talk to clear things between them. "Friends kami. In good terms kami ni Jas," he affirms. JM also expressed confusion over why Jas is receiving backlash from fans when, in fact, he sees her as a genuinely good person deserving of respect.

On the other hand, viewers fell in love with his friendship with Fyang Smith, who would later be crowned their batch's Big Winner. In a previous episode, Fyang shared that JM, along with Binsoy, was someone she truly leaned on during her time in Bahay Ni Kuya.

After watching that confession, JM chuckled as he expressed his appreciation for Fyang’s words, noting that she was also one of his sources of comfort and support in the house. "Kahit minsan neutral lang 'yung feelings ko, napapasaya pa rin ako ng eabab na 'yun."

With Fyang, JM felt safe being vulnerable, thanks to her genuine care for him, which he saw more when Fyang prepared a birthday celebration for him inside Big Brother house. He says that Fyang was the first housemate to make him feel that special.

Fyang dubbed him "best man," which quickly caught on with netizens. When asked if he thinks he really is the "best man," JM said that only Fyang could answer that. He believes, though, that Fyang baptized him with that nickname because he became her best friend inside the PBB house.

Despite others' opinions, JM stays focused on his goals as the family's breadwinner. His journey in PBB has been a rollercoaster ride with its fair share of ups and downs, but what stands out the most are the happy memories and life-changing lessons he gained from Big Brother.

"Man up," Kuya told him before, and these two words have been his motivation since to be brave in the face of life's real challenges.

Now, he's ready for new opportunities, especially in showbiz, with a dream of becoming a multi-awarded actor, and maybe work with his idols, including Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz, Romnick Sarmenta, and his celebrity crush, Kathryn Bernardo.