The fastest ten weeks in history have flown by, and we’ve now reached the finale of Drag Race Philippines season 3.The show begins with the eliminated queens returning to the stage dressed in their finest outfits. This cast has truly delivered some incredible looks; they were all-rounders, talented, and far from being very mindful, very demure.
The theatrical performance begins with a striking tribal piece glowing in the dark, accompanied by dancers, as Mama Pao begins her act. It’s vibrant and incredibly colourful, which matches the whole season wonderfully. It has the same vibe as the earlier seasons finals gone by, celebrating each contestant and the judges as they take a walk down memory lane.
The queens will walk in three categories for the evening, starting with “First Times A Charm,” which will be an elevated look of their first time in drag. Angel is the first out, and she proves that she has always enjoyed showing her off her body. Khianna follows in a reinvented spooky mummy outfit she wore in her first drag competition, which she won. Maxie, ever the polished queen, delivers an elevated look from her first outfit back when she was just eleven years old. Lastly, Tita baby comes out dressed as a police officer, but this time the look is deconstructed to look more feminine.
The second category is “Art Attack Extravaganza,” where these outfits all meet the brief. Angel highlights cultural heritage, while Khianna transforms into a literal walking piece of art. The final category of the competition is “Come In Your Best Drag.” These queens know how to turn out a look and are so stunning, it’s hard to pinpoint a favourite. However, Angel is so strikingly beautiful it’s hard to not praise her.
Next on the agenda is to crown the new Miss Congeniality, with last season’s winner Hana Beshie returning to pass on the title. Surprisingly, the sash goes to Versex, which I’m kind of surprised about as I thought perhaps Tita Baby might get it.
In the Grand T.I.T.E. (totally impressive talent show extravaganza), the queens will perform final talent show numbers. Before each act, they reflect on the highs and lows of their personal journeys. Angel is up first, and she has truly been on a rollercoaster ride, from nearly being eliminated first to then winning challenges and being on top form. As expected, her performance is insanely good, as she delivers an original song. After she goes on to share a heartfelt conversation with Mama Pao about her relationship with her sister. Khianna follows with an original track, Khianna Wins—we l love to see positive reinforcement being out. Now, I really need to see her and Angel come to the U.K. to perform because these two know how to put on a show. When it comes to lip syncing, both use their bodies as such a powerful tool.
Our queen of the universe, Maxie, performs a live version of a song she wrote titled Laban. She truly is a superstar, radiating a popstar energy that we all wish to have. Last but not least, Tita Baby closes the show with a comedy piece/song titled Flying High, which is so bonkers to watch. But she is a true professional who knows how to entertain her audience.
From the final four, only two queens will advance to the crown, and that is Khianna and Maxie. The fight for the crown is down to one last lip sync to Lipad Ng Pangarap by Angeline Quinto and Regine Velasquez. Before the performance begins, Khianna is ready to go, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. I can’t decide on a winner; just crown them both! The most beautiful moment happens when Maxie brings Angel onstage to crown her, both proudly holding the trans flag together. Their sisterhood is so beautiful and powerful. Back onstage, Mama Pao loves to throw in one last twist, saying, “Quick, there’s a fire!” before a special message from Rupaul plays on the big screens. Back after her win, the reigning queen, Captivating Katkat, returns to pass on reign.
The long-awaited moment has arrived: the winner of Drag Race Philippines season 3 is Maxie! This is a very well-deserved win, as she finally receives recognition for all her hard work across many shows and contests. She shares some really great words of wisdom. “Don’t ever get tired of chasing your dreams, because one day you’ll achieve it. Just like what happened to me!” So there we go, our third drag queen superstar of the Philippines. As the episode concludes, we’re reminded that Drag Race Thailand season 3 is coming soon. Also, stay tuned, as we may have an exclusive interview with a certain host of Thailand coming your way!