Edward says Maymay helps him survive in show biz

Edward Barber (left) and Maymay Entrata

Former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate Edward Barber, the other half of the love team MayWard, admitted that dealing with fame and raving fans would have been difficult if he didn’t have onscreen partner Maymay Entrata to support him.

“Maymay is one of the people in my life whom I trust. If not for her, I don’t think I’d be able to survive. It’s harder to deal with all that has happened on my own. It’s good to have a support system, not just Maymay but also our respective families,” said Edward.

Maymay was the “PBB Lucky Season 7” edition’s grand winner, while Edward won fourth place. The duo has released a movie (“Loving in Tandem”) and a book (“He’s My Oppastar”), as well as recorded albums, performed in concerts and sealed an endorsement deal with a multinational food chain.

For Maymay, it has been a struggle since she came out of the PBB House. “It was hard to adjust. I didn’t know how to handle the bashing, along with the comments of supporters,” she shared with the Inquirer.

“I thought that when I left the PBB house, I’d go back to being an ordinary person. But I now see myself on TV, dancing in ‘Asap,’ and not realizing that I’m already working,” said Maymay, who was born in Camiguin and grew up in Cagayan de Oro.

“I know nothing about show biz. Back when I was in Mindanao, I was already happy to see celebrities. I never expected to be working with them,” she added.

Before joining the reality talent search, Edward, 17, said he was “the shyest person you’ll ever meet. It’s a big deal for me to enter PBB. I did it, and it has changed my life. To have the support of so many people is a big confidence booster.”

Maymay, 20, said it felt awkward when people began romantically linking the two of them. “At first, I said, ‘Why do they keep asking me if I have a crush on Edward? Sige na nga crush ko na nga lang siya!’ Now, we’ve become super close. We’re actually best friends,” she said.

The duo has also collaborated with the creation of the ELM Tree Foundation, with its first three letters standing for the names of Edward, Laura (Edward’s sister) and Maymay. “The goal is to teach underprivileged kids to read and write before they go to formal school,” explained Edward.

The foundation has teamed up with the Ronald McDonald House of Charities (RMHC), and recently turned over a 90-square-meter Bahay Bulilit center to benefit some 80 child residents of Barangay Old Balara in Quezon City.

The Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit is a low-cost day care for children of low-income families around the country. With assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and local government units, each center is equipped with books and other educational materials to help kids aged 2 to 5 learn basic values and skills.