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Mabu-heeey! Drag Race Philippines is finally here.
The local version of the Emmy-winning TV series “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (RPDR) arrived on several streaming platforms last August 17, with two episodes released at once.
#DragRacePH and other related keywords, such as names of the contestants, immediately became trending topics on social media -- and stayed on the list in the following days.
The double premiere is everything that avid RPDR viewers know and love. But at the same time, it is also a showcase of the best culture and tradition the Philippines has to offer.
Category is “Ter-No She Betta Don’t.” Twelve Filipino drag artists stood side-by side on main stage during the first episode of of Drag Race Philippines. Screengrab from HBO Go
Here are some reasons why this will be your new favorite show.
1. Peak pageantry and reality TV
"Drag Race" has the elements that is celebrated in pageant-crazy Philippines. Twelve drag artists serve the face, the catwalk, and the fashion as they compete for the crown in a grand spectacle.
The show’s format and challenges are said to be inspired by “America’s Next Top Model,” “Project Runway,” and other talent searches.
Apart from turning out fantabulous looks, the queens tackle various challenges, which may include dancing, lip sync, comedy skits, and design.
2. The Pinoy charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent
The "Drag Race" spotlight now shines upon some of the Philippines’ most talented, passionate, and beautiful drag queens.
As the second franchise from this part of the world after Thailand, "Drag Race Philippines" not only chronicles the contestants as they battle to become the first Filipino drag superstar, but it also challenges the queens to show the kind of drag that breaks the Western mold.
From the werk room interior design to the themes of the weekly challenges, a generous amount of Filipino touches have been added in every aspect of the show.
In the first two episodes, the 12 drag queens strutted the main stage in traditional Filipiniana, then in self-made Flores de Mayo-inspired pieces. The contestants also took on a Darna-themed photo shoot and palo-sebo.
The signature pink RuPaul’s Drag Race werk room is given a Filipino twist in Drag Race Philippines. Screengrab from WOWPresents’ YouTube
Creative director Fifth Solomon said the original franchise producers did not give strict guidelines, and that his goal is to make sure every episode will bring joy to the Filipino LGBTQIA+ community.
“Ang bilin lang nila gawin itong pang-Pilipino 'yung 'Drag Race.' Every episode of the season, may Filipino touch talaga,” Solomon said during the pilot screening party.
4. Mamwa Pao
Paolo Ballesteros serves stunning looks both in drag and out of drag. But the main host is not all fab and fun. He can be strict when giving critiques. Mamwa Pao’s viral unimpressed face -- still ‘sickening’ by the way -- is prime example of the tough love he dishes out to the queens.
Main host Paolo Ballesteros reacts to a contestant’s Flores de Mayo-inspired runway look during the second episode of Drag Race Philippines. Screengrab from HBO Go
Prior to "Drag Race," Ballesteros is already one of the prominent drag artists in the local mainstream scene, making him a worthy counterpart of the series creator and American queer icon RuPaul. As a top Pinoy celebrity, his makeup transformations helped make the art of drag popular in the country. Notable works include “Die Beautiful” (2016) and “The Panti Sisters,” which both told stories of queer characters.
5. Jiggly Caliente, KaladKaren and more
In a "Drag Race" first, two trans women lead the panel of judges in this franchise. RPDR season 4 and All-stars 6 contestant Jiggly Caliente, and TV host and impersonator KaladKaren sit as resident judges.
Meanwhile, BJ Pascual, Jon Santos, and Rajo Laurel comprise the rotating jury. More local celebrities, like Nadine Lustre, Boy Abunda, and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, will join in the fun as guest judges.
(From left) KaladKaren, Jiggly Caliente, Paolo Ballesteros, Pops Fernandez, and BJ Pascual sit as panel of judges in the premiere episode of Drag Race Philippines. Screengrab from HBO Go
6. Filipino humor
No charot, but there is a certain kilig to hearing our language, especially the informal street slangs, in a show that is part of an international franchise with a massive following.
Filipino humor is in full display in "Drag Race." The runway commentaries, werk room banter, and shady confessionals all serve as spaces for local slangs, word plays, pop references, and “kanto” jokes, that can be hard to explain to foreign viewers but are all too familiar to the local audiences.
7. The show can sometimes be informative
Who else Googled “Paper Dolls” and “Marsha P. Johnson” after the first episode?
While unserious most of the time, the cast members and judges sometimes drop tidbits of the long herstory of the LGBTQIA+ community’s continuing fight for equality.
A contestant pays homage to “Paper Dolls” during the “Ter-no She Betta Don’t” runway in Drag Race Philippines. Screengrab from HBO Go
“It is up to us to tell our stories,” said Jiggly as she expressed her appreciation of a runway look that pays homage to “Paper Dolls,” which the contestant described as the “original female impersonators in the Philippines.”
In the same comment, Jiggly named-dropped Johnson, a prominent figure of the gay liberation Stonewall Uprising in 1969, as she lamented the lack of SOGIE law in the Philippines.
8. The tea is piping hot
Some cast members walked into the werk room with their pre-"Drag Race" dramas, which may or may not be resolved during the series. And new dramas are only expected, especially when big personalities come together in a very cutthroat environment, where queens sashay away one by one per week.
More tea was spilled in the companion series “Untucked,” which shows the raw and unfiltered backstage look at how the contestants handle (and sometimes, mishandle) the pressure of the competition.
Xilohuette is caught between quarrelling Brigiding and Minty Fresh in the episode 2 of “Untucked.” Screengrab from HBO Go
The Philippines is the first foreign iteration to get its own “Untucked,” and episode 2 instantly proved that this franchise deserves it.
9. It preaches self-love
Beneath the drama, the silliness, and glitz and glamour lie a message for all, queer or not: everyone is beautiful in their own skin.
"Drag Race," and drag in general, empowered many queers who found their real selves in makeup, wigs, and dresses. Its many seasons and foreign versions feature fierce queens who, like most members of the LGBTQIA+ community, survived or are still battling their childhood traumas, internalized homophobia, discrimination, and insecurities.
At the end of each episode, Mamwa Pao also reminds the queens and viewers to stay true to their authentic selves: “Ang tunay na ikaw ay ipakita sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa. Puso, puso, at puso pa rin.”
New "Drag Race" episodes premiere on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., while "Untucked" episodes drop Fridays at 7 p.m. on WOW Presents Plus, Discovery Plus, and HBO Go.
ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.
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