What’s in a name? If you’re a drag queen, the answer is quite a lot. And while some drag names may be nonsensical at best (yes, we’re looking at you, Heidi N Closet!), others are clever and filled with meaning. Like Manila Luzon, a name chosen by a performer who takes colossal pride in her Asian heritage; a name that pays homage to her mother and grandmother, their hometown of Manila, and Luzon, the island on which it sits.
As far as drag legends go, they don’t get much bigger or more iconic than Manila Luzon. Born in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, to a Filipina mother and an American father, Luzon has competed on three seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, toured the world, appeared in countless TV shows and recorded more music videos than Taylor Swift has had bad breakups. Now, she is going it alone, starring as the Drag Lord of Drag Den, a new drag competition, made “by Filipinos, for Filipinos”—the first season of which was nominated for two Asian Academy Creative Awards (with Manila Luzon taking home the trophy in her category as Best Entertainment Host) while the second is set to premiere globally on Amazon Prime next week.
So, why did Luzon, a timeless drag superstar beloved in the US and internationally, want to make a show in the Philippines?
“Filipino drag is amazing!” she gushes. “I remember seeing drag in the Philippines for the first time and being blown away! Girl, these queens, they’re breathing fire, they have fully choreographed production numbers and drag queens hooked up to wires and flying over the audience. But it’s also an underground scene that the mainstream doesn’t know about.”
“Growing up queer in Manila isn’t easy, it’s more tolerated than accepted,” admits Aries Night, a Manila-based drag queen and fan favorite from season one of Drag Den.
“There are still a handful of people who don t see the artistry in drag or view it as a legitimate job,” continues Aries, who works full-time as a drag artist performing at top local venues including Nectar Nightclub, adding: “The thought of traveling to a gig or walking down the street here in full drag bothers me as I d be anxious I might get picked on or even experience a hate crime.”
Drag has recently made the headlines in the Philippines after one of Aries Night’s Drag Den sisters, Pura Luka Vega, was arrested on charges of blasphemy, or, more specifically, “immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibitions and indecent shows” according to the Philippines penal code, following a controversial drag performance of the Lord’s Prayer. Luka is currently awaiting trial in Manila.
For Luzon, Drag Den is an opportunity to shine a spotlight both on Philippine drag and the challenges that Filipino LGBTQ+ people still contend with on a daily basis. “The Philippines already has such great singers, dancers, performers, and athletes, but drag here is still subversive and edgy and kind of undiscovered,” Luzon explains. “I want Filipinos to see what’s in their backyard, and to help tell the stories of LGBTQ+ people and use my platform to give Filipino drag the attention it deserves.”
As for Manila, the city once dubbed the “Pearl of the Orient” may appear at first glance to be a chaotic jumble of permanently clogged highways, endless malls, and tangled electric wires. No surprise, perhaps, since Metro Manila is actually made up of 16 individual “cities,” with a total population of 14.7 million people and a daily traffic volume of about 3.5 million vehicles. But scratch the surface and you will find that the Philippine capital is brimming with hidden treasures.
“I’m always excited to come back here. I love the food, the people, their warmth, and how eager they are to welcome visitors. And did I mention the food!” exclaims Luzon, adding that an in-the-know local might prove helpful if you plan to venture beyond the tourist trail.
So here, find Manila Luzon’s unofficial, alternative guide to the city—from the glitziest luxury hotels and trendiest neighborhoods to the edgiest drag clubs and queer-friendly spaces, as well as all the secret nooks and crannies Luzon discovered while in town filming season two of Drag Den.
O Bar
I will always have a soft spot for O Bar since it was the first venue ever to book me for a gig in the Philippines. Located in Pasig City, it is one of the top drag venues in Manila, packed with hot go-go boys and a fierce cast of queens who go all out, serving fully choreographed drag shows and hair-raising stunts complete with fire and trapezes that most US queens could only dream of.
Nectar Nightclub
This tiny, sweaty club in the trendy BGC district (more on that later!) really knows how to show the gays a good time. The music is on point, the dancers are sexy, and the queens are sickening. This is the home of several of the Drag Den season one queens including Aries Night, Shewarma, Pura Luka Vega, and O-A. The queens here put on two shows a night but, unlike O-Bar, this is not a seated space—people come here to dance and make new friends, if you know what I mean.
FFTG (Food For the Gays) Café
This is a welcoming LGBTQ+-friendly space run by a lesbian couple—and who doesn’t love lesbians? (Manila herself has been known to rock a cropped do and a power suit on more than one occasion.) The name Food For The Gays is inspired by a traditional Filipino holiday cookie called Food for the Gods but, instead of the Gods, the people getting fed here are the gays! Comfort food like pizza, pasta, and pastries, and drinks are served daily, alongside all the campy stuff we love, like drag shows and karaoke nights.
Manam Comfort Filipino
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Finding a trendy restaurant in Manila that serves traditional Filipino down-home cooking isn’t as easy as it sounds. Manam has several outlets in Manila, but I personally love the Greenbelt venue with its cute outdoor patio. The classics here—like the pancit canton, a delicious Chinese-inspired noodle dish with pork belly, and a sour soup called sinigang with beef short rib watermelon, remind me of my childhood. My Mom didn’t cook much Filipino food when I was growing up but, when she did, adobo was always my favorite.
Orias Studios
Local LGBTQ+ designer Vin Orias has made quite a name for himself in the Filipino fashion world with his sustainable artisanal menswear designs inspired by traditional Filipino textiles and handicrafts. His work is both sophisticated and contemporary, representing the perfect blend of luxury Filipino heritage and edgy queer fashion. He also makes gentlemen’s bags, belts, and shoes. I wore a barong (Filipino men’s formal shirt) by Orias to the premiere of “Here Lies Love”, a new Broadway musical inspired by the life of former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos.
Avignon Clinic
It s no secret that Filipinos love to pamper themselves at the best beauty salons and spas. Nowhere in Manila does state-of-the-art beauty treatments like Botox, and facials, better than this upscale LGBTQ+-owned esthetic clinic with locations in BGC and Quezon City. The vibe here is like an exclusive five-star hotel; the expertly trained doctors and staff go out of their way to make you feel like a star! No wonder all the top Filipino celebrities come here.
Strokes
Momoi Supe is an LGBTQ+ Filipino who started with microblading brows and expanded into cosmetics. He launched his first beauty lab during the pandemic. I was introduced to his eyeliners and the Microblade Pen Perfector that saved my boy brows after I shaved them off to film season two of Drag Den. Strokes has beauty labs in the bougie Greenbelt shopping center and other locations around Manila.
Raffles Makati Hotel
What drag queen doesn’t love a spot of opulence and what could be more fabulous than a stay at the Manila outpost of the OG Asian luxury hotel? Since 1887, Raffles Singapore has been synonymous with Asian elegance and hospitality and the same can be said of the far more newly opened Raffles Makati. Set in the ultra-posh Makati district, it plays a huge part in Manila’s thriving cultural scene, actively supporting local creatives. I especially love the views from the rooftop and the art collection in the hotel. That, and the fact that the rooms and beds here are nothing short of dreamy.
BGC, or Bonifacio Global City
Since the traffic here is such a nightmare, you might want to consider basing yourself somewhere that has plenty to offer to minimize travel time. BGC is the city’s coolest, most dynamic neighborhood and my home away from home in Manila. At first glance, it might look like a business district with its shiny, modern skyscrapers but it’s also packed with cool restaurants and bars, great shopping, as well as gay bars like LaMierdah and drag clubs like Nectar Nightclub.
The Curator Coffee Cocktails
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Ranked among Asia’s best cocktail bars according to the 50 Best Bars, The Curator is definitely one of the coolest drinking holes in Manila. Don’t be fooled by its appearance from the outside, as the coffee shop is a front for the speakeasy-style cocktail lounge at the back (although the coffee here is excellent too!). This is a queer-friendly space with several LGBTQ+ staff members, including one of the partners who runs the coffee side of things.
The Peninsula Manila
Few places in Manila have as colorful a history as The Peninsula hotel, which has welcomed a long list of VIPs—from pop stars to Hollywood celebrities, politicians, and royalty. Its lavish lobby is a great spot to try local dishes—like the thick, savory Kare-Kare—which are especially good here. This was also the site of an attempted coup against the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2007, when an armored personnel carrier crashed into the lobby of the hotel. These days, that same lobby is one of my favorite places to grab a drink or a bite. What can I say? I love the drama!
Manila Luzon styling by Gee Jocson; makeup by Iowani Unpingco; with special thanks to Raffles Makati Hotel Manila.