#NEWS | Golden Gays Manila brings drag to PSHS–MC in ‘Bahaghari’
by Clarenne Gayapa & Kat Dela Rama
Drag is in the house!
Four drag queens of the Golden Gays Manila lit up the stage at the Philippine Science High School–Main Campus (PSHS–MC) 3rd Floor Auditorium last March 15 in “Bahaghari: A Drag Show and Info Session.”
A group of seven Batch 2023 students organized the event as a fundraiser for their Social Science 6 (SS6) civic engagement project “Gold at the End of the Rainbow,” with its target beneficiary being the non-profit organization Home for the Golden Gays.
The event was open to Batch 2023 to 2025 students, faculty, and staff of PSHS–MC, with an entrance fee of Php 70 for individuals and Php 50 for attendees in groups of three and up.
After the SS6 group’s opening remarks and a short introductory video by IKEA, the drag queens — who go by Amparo, Elizabeth Oro Medez, Monique dela Rue, and Cherry Pie onstage — took the floor and delivered a series of five individual and group performances.
To many attendees, these performances were the highlight of the afternoon.
“[I was] really amazed [by] the performance level of the lolas,” commented Sir Nat Tacuboy of the Math Unit.
March Mauricio of Batch 2024 praised the show as well, stating: “It was really fun! It really made me feel connected to the LGBTQ+ community.”
Following their final performance, the drag queens were seated onstage as the audience watched an episode of the documentary series “The Kaleidoscope” by Globe, which tackled the history and advocacy of the Home for the Golden Gays.
During the subsequent info session, each of the drag queens shared stories and insights about their lives as performers and as members of the LGBTQ+ community in response to various questions posed by the organizers.
They also discussed their struggles with discrimination as well as the acceptance and support they eventually found.
They encouraged PSHS–MC’s queer students to come out of the closet and enjoy everything being LGBTQ+ can offer while they’re still young.
“’Wag nang mahiya, lumantad na kayo!”, Medez exclaimed after narrating her life before drag.
(Don’t be shy! Show your true selves!)
“My favorite part, aside from the captivating performances, was where we [heard] their insights on [being] LGBTQ+ in a Philippine setting,” remarked Sam Guerra of Batch 2025. “It felt so personal to be able to talk to them up close afterwards, and [it was] so much fun.”
The event concluded with the drag queens’ final walk and a picture-taking session with the audience onstage.
“I enjoyed the afterparty-like [experience] at the end when we got to take pictures with them,” commented Marky Baniqued of Batch 2025. “It was very fun and very heart-warming.”
The organizers were amazed by the magnitude of support “Bahaghari” received especially since they faced many challenges in its approval due to negative perceptions of drag.
“We were really surprised about how a lot were looking forward to it,” SS6 team leader Elijah Protasio shared. “Gulat kami eh! Nagsisigawan sila, they were clapping, and bumubuhos ‘yong support nila, before and after the event.”
(We were surprised! They were yelling, they were clapping, and their support was overflowing, before and after the event.)
On its overall impact, his groupmate Yani Padilla commented: “I think this was a very empowering event for all of . . . the Pisay community. Even if [some] didn’t get to attend, they still had the chance to donate to the lolas, who are really huge pioneers of the LGBTQ+ here in the Philippines.”
