Drag Race Philippines

 Twelve queens open series' first season

By Demi Braque

After a long wait, Drag Race Philippines (DRP) finally premiered its pilot episode last Aug. 17. Twelve drag queens from all over the country opened, what looked like to viewers, an 'exciting season.'

The queens, according to how they introduced themselves in the workroom, are:

- Corazon (34, Bolinao, Pangasinan)

- Eva La Queen (29, Marikina City)

- Marina Summer (25, Makati City)

- Turing (29, Cainta, Rizal)

- Lady Morgana (30, Davao City)

- Precious Paula Nicole (34, Fast, Camarines Norte)

- Minty Fresh (31, Quezon. City)

- Gigi Era (38, Melbourne, Australia)

- Brigiding (29, Mandaluyong City)

- Vinas De Luxe (25, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan)

-Xilhouette (34, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija)

- Prince (25, Calumpit, Bulacan)

The first mini-challenge was a photo shoot with the queens emulating the super-heroine "Dragna" wearing a harness while photographed by ace lensman BJ Pascual. Makati's Marina Summers was adjudged the winner of the mini-challenge and received a cash prize of Php 20,000.

In the main round, the queens were made to wear their version of the Philippine terno. And the jurors selected Quezon City's Minty Fresh as the first week's main winner and received the RuBadge with Php 80,000.

The top two performers at the bottom were Calumpit's Prince and Davao City's Lady Morgana. To save themselves from eviction, they both lip-synched Sarah Geronimo's "Tala." At the end of the showdown, Prince was told to sashay away, making him the first casualty of the weekly eliminations.

 

Hosted by Paolo Ballesteros, the pilot episode was judged by season jurors Kalad Karen and Jiggy Caliente, together with guest judges Pops Fernandez and BJ Pascual.

The winner of the 1st season of Drag Race Philippines will receive a one-year supply of One Size cosmetic products from Patrick Starr and a Php 1-million cash prize from World of Wonder USA.

Drag Race Philippines was launched last year but the global pandemic halted its initial shoots, thus affecting its original airing. Catch DRP's first season streaming on Discovery Plus or watch the show's highlights on the World of Wonder Presents channel on YouTube.