‘Drag Race PH’ finalist Precious Paula Nicole gets the Cebuano welcome

CEBU, Philippines —  What happens when the Queen City of the South opens her doors to one of the country’s most sought-after drag queens? Sold-out back-to-back shows, electrifying performances, and euphoria.

Drag fans from Cebu started the month of October with “A Precious Night” – a two-night affair featuring a drag show, a “Drag Race Philippines” viewing party, and a meet-and-greet event with “Drag Race PH” finalist herself, Precious Paula Nicole.

In an interview with The FREEMAN, the 36-year-old performer says she couldn’t have had a better first meeting with Cebuano fans.

“Pasabog! Oh my God!” Precious shares after a meet-and-greet with fans. “Alam mo sa ibang concert ng artista ko lang ‘yun napapanood, yung reaction na ganon. It’s overwhelming. It’s like heaven.”

Held at From Here in Banilad, Cebu City, “A Precious Night” had been sold out before the actual event on Oct. 1 and 2, wherein over 300 people came to witness Precious in all her glory.

“P*******a! Posible pala talaga siya? I’m sorry. That’s how overwhelmed I am. Posible pala yun,” Precious muses, saying that the opportunity is something that she’s extremely grateful for, especially since this is her first time in Cebu. “Sana makabalik pa ako ulit. I would love to do it again.”

Not only is she one of the country’s most sought-after performers in the drag scene, but she’s also in the running for the first-ever “Drag Race PH” crown. Precious recently clinched one of the final four spots in the reality TV competition (a spinoff of the American show “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, which premiered last August.

Since then, there has been an outpouring of support for the Bicolana, who introduced herself in the show as “an all-around queen with a precious heart”.

A native of Daet, Camarines Norte, Precious joined the tilt because she wanted to make history as one of the queens in the first season of “Drag Race PH.” But that honor didn’t come served on a silver platter. Precious shares that the competition had put her 12 years of experience as an artist and performer to the test.

In the show, 12 Filipino drag queens vie for the title of “Philippines’ first Drag Superstar”, with a one-year supply of ONE/SIZE Beauty Cosmetics by Patrick Starrr, and a cash prize of ?1,000,000 at stake.

“I discovered a lot talaga. I thought I knew it all. Pagdating ko sa ‘Drag Race Philippines’, ang dami ko palang hindi natutunan na doon ko lang nalaman na kailangan ko palang i-improve,” the professional dancer admits, going so far as calling the show a much-needed wake-up call.

As the competition progressed however, Precious went with her gut and stayed true to her identity as an all-around performer with a heart. Eight episodes in and Precious became a crowd favorite – wowing host Paolo Ballesteros, and judges Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, drag queen Jiggly Caliente, impersonator KaladKaren, and fashion designer Rajo Laurel, among others, with her performances, transformations and life story.

“I learned na mas maganda pa rin na ang mga ginagawa mo, dapat laging nanggagaling sa puso. Kasi kapag nanggaling ‘yan sa puso, it’s pure and nakaka-touch talaga siya ng buhay ng mga tao,” quips Precious, who regaled the Cebuano crowd with renditions of Beyoncé songs and her iconic Regine Velasquez number. “Dito ako masaya. Dito ako nagpapasaya.”

But there’s more to this drag queen than meets the eye as her transformations and performances barely scratch the surface. When asked what makes a great queen, Precious says you have to be one not only in words, but also in deeds – something that she has proven through various community initiatives.

As if she hasn’t endeared herself to audiences already, Precious also won the hearts of fans for advocating for elderly LGBTQIA+ through the Home for the Golden Gays. Recently, she also coordinated with the Angat Buhay Foundation to provide relief for victims and survivors of last month’s Super Typhoon Karding.

It’s been an interesting “Drag Race PH” journey for Precious. But her story isn’t over yet. In fact, this is only the beginning. As fans count down the days until the looming finale this Oct. 12, Precious only has one thing to say about the legacy that she wants to build.

“I want to be remembered as a precious queen with a precious heart,” she says.

- Creating safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ in Cebu -

While much of “A Precious Night” was centered on Precious, the event is ultimately a celebration of LGBTQIA+ and drag representation in Cebu.

Made possible by the Cebu Drag Artists Community (CDAC) and WACK Cebu, “A Precious Night” also featured performances from Cebu Drag Queens Maria Lava, Kat Phischeur, Akiko Brown, Ledda Marmalade, Theliara, Morpha, Letina, and Georgina Wales.

When asked if Cebu was ready for drag, “A Precious Night” executive producer and CDAC representative Jayce Calingasan says, “Definitely! Absolutely!”

While there has always been drag in Cebu, Calingasan says it’s mostly centered on comedy, and it’s their job to elevate that.

“To a point where it gets old. Sometimes you don’t laugh with the queens anymore but you laugh at them. It’s our goal to put these guys on the map and really make sure the queens are seen not just as comedians but as performers,” says Calingasan.

The gender-bending art form that is drag is more than just entertainment. To many queer folk, it is also a form of expression and celebration, even defiance and activism. So while organizers didn’t expect to sell out both evenings of “A Precious Night”, they considered it a good omen as the turnout signalled an interest in more safe and inclusive LGBTQIA+ events in the city.

Ultimately, CDAC’s goal is to create a safe space for the drag community and the greater LGBTQIA+ population – a mission shared by WACK Cebu which is founded by queer creatives in the city as a response to the collective yearning for a non-physical and inclusive queer space.

“It’s about time,” says filmmaker and musician Samantha Solidum of WACK Cebu. “We want to be inclusive to everyone. The sapphics, the nonbinaries, and the baby gays who are still figuring out their queerness. We have to nurture that. We were those kids too.”

Fortunately for the LGBTQIA+ community in Cebu, the fun doesn’t stop with “A Precious Night”. CDAC recently announced Queer Sundays, coming soon at the Trademark Cebu for those who would like to see more of the Cebu Drag Queens.

Photographer and art director Zach Aldave of WACK Cebu also shared that in addition to drag shows and parties, people can also look forward to queer music shows and art exhibitions as their group’s way of providing avenues and platforms for queer people to express themselves.

But whether it’s a night of drag, music, or art, one thing’s for sure: it’s all about creating a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment where everyone feels comfortable to express themselves and come as they are.

TO those curious about upcoming LGBTQIA+ events in the city, designer Nikko Tan of WACK Cebu has this to say: “We love it when people are being themselves. Ali lang (Come over).”