“Drag Race Philippines” host Paolo Ballesteros with the 11 queens of season 3. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
The third season of “Drag Race Philippines” will premiere on August 7 with 11 queens competing for the title of the Philippines Next Drag Superstar, with Paolo Ballesteros returning as host.
The show announced its premiere date and lineup of queens in a press statement, saying it will continue to promote “Pinoy drag excellence” to different parts of the world.
Also returning as judges are news anchor-actress KaladKaren and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Jiggly Caliente. In past seasons, the host and judges are accompanied by a different guest judge per episode.
Paolo Ballesteros. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
Aside from the main series, its after-show “Drag Race Philippines: Untucked” will also make its return, which features behind-the-scenes moments of the competing queens, usually including uncensored banter and fiery confrontations.
The show crowned Precious Paula Nicole and Captivating Katkat as the winners of seasons one and two, respectively.
Who are the 11 queens?
The cast of “Drag Race Philippines” season three includes Angel, John Fedellaga, JQuinn, Khianna, Maxie, Myx Chanel, Popstar Bench, Tita Baby, Versex, Yudip*ta, and Zymba Ding.
One of the familiar faces is Maxie, who represented the Philippines at the drag singing contest “Queen of the Universe” season two where she finished in fifth place.
Maxie. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
Tita Baby is also a familiar face, as she appeared in the music video of “Room,” the debut single of SB19’s Stell. She is a content creator known for doing skits on a Filipina Tita’s traits on TikTok and was one of the hosts of the platform’s Pride Monologues last June.
Tita Baby. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
On the other hand, Angel is a performer of the bustling O-Bar and Rapture Bars in Metro Manila while fellow O-Bar performer John Fedellaga is dubbed the “Omegle Queen” on social media.
Angel. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
John Fedellaga. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
JQuinn is described as a queen who blends K-pop and anime influences in her drag. She also released the single “Love on Low” in June 2024.
The Cagayan de Oro-based Khianna emerged as a “radiant presence” in her region during the pandemic, where she hopes to empower fans to “embrace self-expression and pursue their passions wholeheartedly.”
JQuinn. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
Meanwhile, Myx Chanel is the co-founder and co-host of the “Bekenemen” podcast while Popstar Bench made waves as the “ultimate Sarah Geronimo impersonator” on social media.
Myx Chanel. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
Popstar Bench. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
Aside from drag, Versex established her career as a celebrity hair stylist, where her biggest clients include Heart Evangelista, Liza Soberano, and Dolly de Leon.
Versex. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
Yudip*ta. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
Zymba Ding. Image: Courtesy of World of Wonder
Yudip*ta and Zymba Ding are known among the drag circles of Bacolod and Caloocan, respectively. On the other hand, Battle Royale was described as a “fiercely competitive lip-sync competitor” and hopes to be the “future” of Pinoy drag in a press statement.