From his heartwarming smile to his consistently kind demeanor, ‘Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition’ finalist River Joseph has quickly earned the admiration of fans, many of whom have dubbed him the “Pambansang Green Flag.”
But for the 26-year-old actor, the viral title comes as a welcome surprise—one he takes with humility rather than pressure.
“Actually, nagulat ako dun sa tag na ‘yun. Siyempre it’s an honor to be called a green flag,” River said during the Star Magic Spotlight press conference on July 14. “But then when it comes to pressure, wala masyado. I guess throughout the season, I was just being myself, doing my own thing and doing what I want to do.”
“I guess moving forward, siyempre I’ll continue being myself lang, but it’s an honor to be called a green flag,” he added.
The fan support has been overwhelming for River, who admitted he hasn’t fully caught up with everything being said online since exiting the ‘PBB’ house.
@lionheartv Paano ba tinetake ni @River ang bansag sa kanyang ngayong ‘Green Flag?’ #PBBCelebrityCollabEdition #RiverJoseph #EntertainmentNewsPH #TiktokTainmentPH #BestOfTiktokPH #NewsPH #LionhearTV #RAWRNation
“Actually, paglabas namin I haven’t had time to scroll through social media,” he said. “Sobrang busy namin the past few days. Nag-o-online lang ako para mag-post usually. Pero may nakita na akong mga posts din dun. Negatively, wala masyado. It was more of love and support.”
During a conversation with veteran journalist Jessica Soho—who entered the ‘PBB’ house as a guest—River got an early sense of the public’s warm perception of him. He credited his upbringing and past challenges for shaping the person he is today.
“Feeling it was also the way I was raised by my parents, how they brought me up,” River told GMA News. “And I feel like also, yung pinagdaanan ko, yung mga challenges ko na na-face ko sa past, that’s what made me who I am today.”
He paid tribute in particular to his late father, whose kindness and generosity left a lasting impact.
“I think I also got it from my dad who was also kind and generous. I feel like since we’re so blessed, we could be a blessing to others,” River said.
