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I am Paula Irene Zaballero, currently under the program Management Accounting. Outside of Academic Pao, I can say that I am a Philippine Pop Culture enthusiast—I have a strong affection for Philippine pop culture, particularly in the last few years, as I have grown more entertained and attached about our entertainment culture by consuming more Philippine media. Because my family enjoyed viewing Pinoy-produced movies and listening to OPM, I grew up surrounded with Philippine pop culture. With time, I discovered that I had been disengaged from Philippine pop culture due to my increased consumption of international media, including watching more Hollywood films, tuning in to American television series, and often listening to K-pop music. However, I have recently discovered that I am interested in learning about and consuming Pinoy pop culture, particularly in the media. I started by adhering to witty and funny Pinoy memes and trends, which have become ingrained in most of my sense of humor that my friends refer to it as "kanal" or "jejemon' humor. I also started watching more Filipino movies again because I felt like they were more realistic and reflected what was happening in the country, highlighted who we are as Filipinos, or just to have a laugh every once in a while. "Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus" by Dwein Baltazar, "It Takes A Man and a Woman" and "Hello, Love, Goodbye" by Cathy Garcia Molina, and "Ten Little Mistresses" by Jun Robles-Lana are a few Filipino movies that I genuinely enjoy. I also have a tune into OPM and the emerging P-Pop scene; I listen to rising musicians like BINI and Dilaw and beloved OPM performers like Sarah Geronimo, Regine Velasquez, and KZ Tandingan. In addition, I love watching filmographies of well-known and iconic actresses from television and movies who have made significant contributions to and significantly impacted Philippine pop culture. These actresses include Mylene Dizon, Angel Aquino, Eugene Domingo, Sarah Geronimo, and Jodi Sta. Maria, Anne Curtis, and Kim Molina. Lastly, I have developed a deeper love and understanding for the queer culture in the Philippines, which includes everything from its history, to its humor, to the recently famous drag shows competitions, like Drag Race Philippines and Drag Den, which are either Philippine media adaptations or originally Filipino-produced.

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The Philippine Drag Scene is a vibrant aspect of Philippine pop culture that I would love to highlight in my Padlet. In the Philippine setting, drag has long existed in the form of impressions and lip-sync performances, which were typically presented for entertainment in bars. Nonetheless, the country's drag industry has gained greater widespread recognition after RuPaul's Drag Race was recently adapted for the Philippines, that produced a show called Drag Race Philippines. Also, the growth of the drag scene and the ease of access to technology have contributed to the increased visibility of drag artists on social media, which has gained the artists more recognition with the art that they create. In addition, Drag Den with Manila Luzon, a show "made for Filipinos, by Filipinos" has been produced and aired on online streaming platforms that showcases the wits, skills, and talents of the younger and older generation of drag queens in the country. Both shows have reached two seasons, demonstrating its popularity and success among the Filipino populace. Drag has been introduced (or reintroduced) to the public due to these programs' growing popularity and mainstream appeal. It has also provided a stage for our drag artists to display their genuine Filipino uniqueness and talent, or drag excellence as our queens refer to it. Filipino drag culture showcases its members' inventiveness, comedy, originality, and mastery of artistic forms that speak to their unique beauty, talent, and creativity.

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Drag Den with Manila Luzon 2: Retribution

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From Stilettos to Social Revolution: How Drag Is Shaping Philippine Pop Culture

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From Stilettos to Social Revolution: How Drag Is Shaping Philippine Pop Culture

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Many aspects of the Philippine setting will change as a result of the emergence of drag artistry, particularly the representation of the LGBTQIA+ community. Applying the Uses and Gratification Theory, the rise of drag artistry in the Philippines satisfy the need of representation and being seen by many queer people. Because viewers have the power to choose what media they want to consume, and since the Philippines is recognized for having a large population of the LGBTQIA+ community, accessible content that includes drag artistry will be more consumed. More accessibility to drag content demonstrates to people that they can choose to participate in such activities, regardless of whether drag is their primary interest. Drag has the potential to transform Philippine pop culture in the aspect of entertainment since it offers a means of escape by exposing viewers to more recent LGBTQIA+ content that speaks to their needs in a more personal and localized way. As new drag shows bring together varied audiences and develop connections among fans that users may have longed after in the Philippine media for a long time, the rise of drag also fosters a feeling of community in the nation. By relating to drag queens, viewers can explore facets of their own identities. It becomes a community event, celebrating self-expression, resiliency, and queerness. Filipinos get satisfaction from seeing drag performers accept who they are with confidence; it honors individuality and promotes acceptance of oneself.

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Drag Race Philippines Runner Up; UK Vs. The World contestant

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“It's a sort of [satire]-take on culture, because a drag queen is a clown - a parody of our society. It's a sarcastic spoof on culture, which allows us to laugh at ourselves - but in a way that is inclusive of everyone.”

-RuPaul

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From Stilettos to Social Revolution: How Drag Is Shaping Our World

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From Stilettos to Social Revolution: How Drag Is Shaping Our World

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In addition to drag's broad appeal, which helps people identify with similar experiences in the Philippine setting, the drag scene offers a forum for the mainstream telling of more queer stories. The narratives of these drag queens and kings who appear on these shows are shared with a broader audience, which might open up a conduit for those seeking relatable or comparable experiences to their own. This would meet their desire for representation in the media they like consuming. As a result, there is a social shift, with LGBTQIA+ people speaking out more about their experiences and joining the battle against prejudice against the public and community; it subverts repressive structures with mockery. This supports the theory's assertion that the media might empower people to challenge authority. For instance, in the "Drag is Political" episode of Drag Den Season 1, the contestants created pieces that symbolized issues they wanted to fight for in the Philippine system, such as fast fashion, queer oppression, trans rights, and justice for farmers. They then used their platforms to advocate for social justice, mental health awareness, and LGBTQIA+ rights. The growth of the drag scene in the Philippines is consistent with the notion of Uses and Gratifications Theory. All of these needs—aesthetic, social, identity, and informational—are met by their performances, artistry, and mere presence in media and public. Drag artists make a big statement in our culture by defying norms and embracing individuality.

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Drag Den, Season 1, Episode 4: Drag is Political

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"The whole point is to live life and be—to use all the colors in the crayon box."

-RuPaul