Mika Salamanca, Will Ashley say Bangkok trip not hard launch of relationship

Mika Salamanca and Will Ashley clarified that their recent Bangkok, Thailand trip was not a “hard launch” of a romantic relationship.

In an interview on “24 Oras,” the two Kapuso stars said their now widely shared photos, where they were seen wearing matching Thai school uniforms, were simply part of a popular trend they decided to try while on vacation. 

“Di naman [hard launch],” said Salamanca, with Ashley adding, “Di namin iniexpect na magiging ganon ‘yung [reaction] ng mga tao kasi parang nakita lang talaga namin ‘yon ni Mika as trend.” 

(It wasn’t a hard launch. We didn’t expect people to have that kind of [reaction] because it’s like Mika and I just saw it as a trend.) 

READ: Mika Salamanca, Will Ashley’s HK trip is just ‘friendly’ vacation, says management

The pair also stressed that the trip was not exclusive to them, adding that they were with friends. 

“Masaya kasi kasama din namin yung ibang friends namin, so talagang naikot namin ‘yung Bangkok […] Kumbaga, na-enjoy din namin yung day off namin after ng napakabusy na schedule,” Ashley explained. 

(It was fun because we were with our other friends, so we really got to see Bangkok […] So, we also enjoyed our day off after a very busy schedule. We really had a good rest.)

Their clarification comes after fans speculated that the trip marked a “hard launch” of their romance, especially after the two shared joint Instagram posts. 

The Bangkok photos were not the first to fuel dating rumors. In January 2026, the two were also spotted traveling together in Hong Kong, which their camp later described as a “friendly” trip. 

Rumors about their relationship date back after their stint in “Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition,” where Salamanca emerged as a big winner while Ashley placed second. 

Salamanca is in an on-screen partnership with Brent Manalo, while Ashley is in a screen partnership with Bianca de Vera. 

Despite being paired with other housemates, Ashley previously admitted that Salamanca was his “type” while they were inside the house. 

Salamanca and Ashley are currently co-stars in the series “The Secrets of Hotel 88,” alongside fellow former housemates. /edv