“My dreams don’t end here; this is just the beginning.” Is the wholesome and affirming message left on the mirror by Myx Chanel after her elimination. When the girls gather to discuss the golden egg, Zymba Ding is surprised by their decision to save Khianna instead. The queens explain their reasoning, and it’s fair; Khianna is breaking down barriers based on her background, whereas Zymba has a name and brand thanks to her drag mother, Brigiding. It can seem harsh to assume she isn’t working as hard because of that relationship, but it’s easy to see where the queens are coming from.
It’s a brand new week, and we’re diving straight into the drama. Seeing an altar made up of the eliminated queens wigs on styling heads. The girls discuss Myx’s comment onstage about being the only one uplifting the queer community. Maxie would like a few words to clarify what she meant by that; however, Ru gives the girls a Rumail using Filipino slang, cryptically saying “Slay Accla.”
And who should enter the room but the eliminated queens! Grab your popcorn or snack of choice as the room becomes so tense you could cut it with a cheese knife. I love when eliminated queens try to look intimidating, as if they are the ones on top. Like any good parent, Mama Pao has arrived to calm the situation and lighten the mood. The queens return to grill the remaining girls in a drag council.
In the mini-challenge, the drag council serves as a chocolate café, surrounded by tasty sweet treats and snacks provided by the sponsor, Aura Chocolates. Taking centre spot is Khianna, who is ready to be grilled—I mean, questioned—right away by Versex. It’s like a group interview, with questions like “Why do you deserve the crown?” and whilst it begins light-heartedly, Khianna expresses her goal of breaking free from the stereotypes that come with being a provincial queen. I assume culturally certain towns have reputations that are deemed less than the main bustling areas, and in the past, queens from that city who competed have been seen as less than i.e., filler queens or first out.
Angel, on the other hand, is laid back and enjoying the chocolates given by Aura chocolates. I am so glad she is still here; this girl was meant for drag and TV, and she’s a pure delight. She confidently answers their questions with ease, sipping her hot chocolate.
On the other side, Zymba is being told that if she wins, will she be happy always being known as Brigiding’s daughter? A lot harsher than the previous two. Maxi is prepared to turn the tables and puts questions to them, declaring J. Quinn and Myx Chanel fake. She is out for blood, reminding everyone of bitching about her sister and whispering. She even instructs the producers to roll the tapes. Oh, how I love Drag Race Philippines. Tita Baby, as always, is wise and understands herself well enough to define what success is, even revealing she’s a life coach. How she wants to combine the two, she’s a wonderful person who makes everyone cry. How the vibes change so very quickly on this show… And this is just the mini-challenge!
But bringing it back to being shady, the eliminated queens get to rank the remaining queens from least deserving to the one who deserves the crown. I think we can all see where this may go, ranking Angel last with Tita at the top. The maxi challenge will see the girls star in the production for Slay Accla, where they will write their own verses that reflect their personalities and, of course, their journey on the show thus far. As the winner, Tita gets to choose where her verse will place in the track.
We get to see the rehearsal process with their choreographer, Nunoy Revlon, and nothing but fun is had. Although Tita worries slightly since Nunoy is a well-known voguer and is worried about her blood pressure. On the mainstage, the Slay Accla performance is everything you could wish from this cast and more—the way Angel’s lyrics perfectly encapsulate her growth in life and in the competition. Everyone killed it, and it’s another drag race bop!
The runway for this semi-final is insane. Next-level gowns that are just so incredibly polished, beautifully regal, and capture each of their personalities perfectly. They all look like a parade of princesses that Disney can only dream of.
It’s that time of the competition when the queens get to talk to their younger selves, and they’re all just the cutest little things. Angel’s story, of course, is the most emotional, discussing her trans journey and how supportive her sister will be. Cue tears all around. The sentiment is a nice way to round off the semi-final, although it does feel overdone and a bit tired from each franchise. I’m all for celebrating important queer journeys, and while they are important to those watching at home, it just kind of kills the mood.
Deliberations are over, and the winner and through to the final is Angel, rightfully so, and she is overcome with joy as she receives the last Rupeter badge of the season. Next through is Khianna, and finally Maxi is the third to make it. I’m glad production never messed with the sisters, instead crafting a wholesome story that saw them thrive and succeed instead of pitting them against one another.
This does, however, mean that the bottom two are Zymba Ding and Tita Baby. Their final lip sync will be to the beautiful ballad Isa Pang Araw by Sarah Geronimo. Choosing a song such as this really adds to the emotion that comes with an episode where a contestant is fighting for their last spot for the final. That final spot goes to Tita Baby! Very Well deserved, so we have our final four.. who will you be rooting for?
Drag Race Philippines airs Wednesdays at 4am PT // 7am ET, worldwide on WOWPresents Plus.
