Photos from Marina Summers and Maymay Entrata's Instagram accounts.

MANILA — Filipina drag queen Marina Summers credited Maymay Entrata for her win in the talent show of "RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs The World" season 2.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Summers detailed the process behind the making of "AMAFILIPINA" and her first encounter with the host of the show, RuPaul. 

She also discussed how she came up with her looks that screamed Filipina on the runway.

Marina Summers wins 'Drag Race: UK vs the World' talent show with 'Amakabogera' performance

Going into the competition, Summers said she wanted to make a statement that she is there to fight, thus her Katipunera-inspired metallic terno for her entrance look.

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"One of the most important looks that you need to bring into the competition is the entrance look, so I wanted to make a statement. I was the first ever Filipina to be on that show, to be in 'Drag Race UK,' and to be the first Filipina drag queen to represent the homeland on an international All Stars," she told ABS-CBN News.

"With that in mind and the context of 'UK vs the World' I wanted to take it back to our history. Kagaya nga ng sinabi ko sa promo, I really wanna represent, not only just Marina but the entire country. Digmaan siya, itong All Stars na 'to, itong 'UK vs the World' so I wanted to look the part," she added. 

Summers said she wanted to pay homage to her roots in the hometown runway as a way of having her "personal truth" living with farmers. 

"The runway is very cultural, you can never go wrong with representing where you came from ...When we were selecting looks from this season we really wanted to represent not only the typical Filipiniana, typical terno, we wanted to go deeper," she said.

"As someone who grew up in the province, sa mga palayan, I really wanted to represent that. Bata pa lang ako nagsusuot na ako ng mga cultural attires, bahag, for my cultural performances, I really wanted to bring that aspect. I wanted a personal truth in that runway, in that home country look, I wanted personal truth in that. That's why it translated sa runway," she added.

"Sobrang sarap sa feeling na they feel like it's educational kasi part ng identity natin 'yung rice eh, part ng identity natin 'yung agriculture and I just really wanted to represent that on that specific runway and nag-translate siya even to foreigners. Ganoon kalakas 'yung culture natin, 'yung heritage natin." 

THE BIRTH OF 'AMAFILIPINA'

As for her queer anthem, Summers wanted to give her own spin on the hit track of Entrata, "Amakabogera" while representing the country with the song.

"The idea of doing a rendition to 'Amakabogera' didn't come to us up until late December 2022 but I've always wanted to do a rendition of 'Amakabogera' 'coz I love P-pop and Maymay is one of my favorite local artists," the drag queen said.

"And 'yung 'Amakabogera' pambakla talaga siya, gurl. Pambakla talaga siya even from the title itself. So I wanted to pay homage to that and do my own rendition of it, like how would the gays do it, how would the drag queens portray it, like how they would sing it on an international level," she added.

Summers then recalled how the idea behind "AMAFILIPINA" was born.

"Actually nasa raket kami nun and actually in-invite ako to guest perform in their show and ang performance was 'Amakabogera' ... until sa umakyat kami sa hotel room namin, iniisip namin 'yung 'Amakabogera,'" she said. 

"Doon nag-start in that very small room, doon nabuo 'yung concept ng fire dancing, ng P-pop ng original Filipino," she added.

"So, ni-contact agad namin 'yung friends namin from Tarsier (Records), Star Music, ABS-CBN Music. It was a long, long, long process kasi it was such an iconic song but I am really, really, really honored na nabigyan ako ng chance to do a rendition of the song."

Summers is happy with the reception to the song, sharing an offcam moment where her fellow queens and the production staff were singing the track.

"When we were filming it, I really felt that kasi what they didn't show on the episode -- 'coz we don't have that much time to show in the episode -- is that even in the backstage, even in the 'Werkr Room' everyone was a Filipina, 'coz everyone was singing 'AMAFILIPINA, Filipina winnah.' So lahat kami kumakanta, even producers, even writers, even 'yung mga queens, you're a Filipina, you're Filipina, everyone's a Filipina that night," she said.

"To get that reaction in itself and to see the episode today, sobrang nakaka-validate siya not only as an artist but also as a Filipina na OMG, gusto nilang maging Pilipino. Kasi 'yung mga Pilipino, gusto natin magmukhang banyaga. Pero lahat sila, they bow down, they treat Filipinos as royalties.

Summers was confident that she had the top spot in the bag with her performance, noting how RuPaul was talking about her waist during the critiques.

"I know I did great, that episode, no doubt. I know I was gonna be on the top, but not Top 2 though. I knew I was gonna be on the top 'coz based on sa reception sa talent show ko, and ako lang 'yung nag-power dance so I was able to stick out from the rest of the girls," she said. 

"Actually, meron pang comment doon na na-left out na sobrang inggit na inggit si RuPaul sa waist ko, hindi na nila sinama kasi masyado na silang maraming magagandang sinabi sa 'kin. I'm really, really, really happy nung natanggap ko 'yung mga critiques, especially with the performance, and sarap sa feeling," she added.

When it came down to the lipsync battle with France's representative La Grande Dame, Summers said she just wanted to show RuPaul that Filipinos are good performers.

"I was scared for anyone who's gonna go against me on a lipsync. I'm not really kahit ano pa 'yan, kahit Spanish song pa 'yan, kahit western song pa 'yan, I don't care. I was born a performer so I'm gonna die as a performer. So if I'm gonna die on that main stage performing, so be it. But I wasn't the one who was murdered on that main stage," Summers said in jest. 

"Ang actually exciting part about that is performing in front of RuPaul lipysncing to a foreign song, to a song that anyone could perform. Kasi 'AMAFILIPINA' ako lang pwedeng mag-perform nun but performing in front of RuPaul is just a big, big, big, big task to do," she added.

"Also, apart from that, apart from doing good in the lipsync, you also have to think of the decision that you're gonna make, kailangan ko bang galingan para mapauwi ko 'to or hindi ko masyadong gagalingan para hindi ko mapauwi 'to. It's all about strategy and everything ...It was a little bit hard as well."

Summers was glad to own the episode and expressed her kilig when RuPaul said, "You're a winner, baby," hoping it would be with the crown in the finals.

"When you're performing on that stage, any lipsync battle kahit nung season 1 namin sa 'Drag Race Philippines' hindi ko talaga alam kung ano'ng nangyayari sa kalaban ko, kung ano'ng ginagawa niya. Especially for this one, hindi ko alam 'yung full repertoire ni La Grande Dame sa lipsyncing skills niya. Hindi ko alam if she's gonna do comedy, is she gonna dance. But whenever I perform nagba-black out talaga ako nakikita ko lang ilaw," she said.

"I really didn't care so much but when they called my name, ganoon talaga, Miss Universe talaga ... even by just RuPaul saying my name, Marina Summers, sobrang surreal na niya for me. And to be even called Marina Summers you're a winner baby, f**k yeah, I'm a Filipina winnah. It was an honor for me."

Marina is the first drag queen from the Philippine franchise to compete in an international edition of the hit reality competition. She was runner-up to Precious Paula Nicole in "Drag Race Philippines" season 1 aired in 2022.

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