LONG BEFORE the grand launch of the highly popular Super Sireyna segment of Eat Bulaga in 1995 and the birth of Miss International Queen in 2004, there was already the string of gay beauty pageants in many a barrio and town fiestas all over the country.
While the gay beauty contests were a constant source of entertainment for many of the audience who did not mind staying until past midnight just to be regaled by exceptionally talented and artistic group of gay men, they were also an avenue for one of the country’s marginalized communities to be seen and heard. Eventually, these pageants became a platform to advocate for acceptance, tolerance and inclusion in our ever-changing society.
These pageants also saw the emergence of the “Pampanga Dragons.” No, I am not referring to the professional basketball team owned by Jose Antonio Gonzales II that participated in the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998 to 2000 and rebranded in 2002 as Pampanga Stars. I am talking about the group of gay university students who became the highly-feared and greatly-admired conteseras from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. Like many of their contemporaries, they started touring every nook and cranny in Pampanga until they expanded their turf in nearby provinces in Central Luzon and eventually around the Metro Manila area.
What was really admirable and truly inspiring about their story was that the contests were a steady source of the highly-needed cash to finance their studies. Like the group of singers who drove to various barangay amateur singing contests back in the days, they knew the dates of every barrio and town fiestas and the schedule of nightly shows, most specifically the gay beauty pageant. Whether it was the Miss Gay San Juan, the Bb. Ikatlong Lahi in Sto. Tomas, the Ms. Gay Fernandino or the Bathaluman in Tarlac, and many other titles, they came in full force in a rented Sarao jeep, hoping to snag the top prizes. Sometimes their group was usually broken down into two or more smaller groups when some contests were held on the same date so they did not lose the chance of earning more.
Like Catriona Gray who came to Thailand to win the highly-coveted Ms. Universe 2018 crown, they came not for the experience and fun of it all, but to clinch the title and pocket the cash prizes. They were not only talented, but very articulate as well. The Geraldine “Pebbles” de Asis in the group would always wow the crowd with her ballet performance or a dance interpretation complete with sign language. On the other hand, the Ruffa Gutierrez look-alike never failed to amaze the audience with her dramatic monologues that spawned two unforgettable lines, “Stop that music!” and “Do you want me to dance?” While the Tyra Banks in the team, with her towering presence and morena beauty, would always impress the judges with her flawless and emotional take on the Jennifer Holiday hit, “And I am Telling You” complete with heartbreaking sobs and real tears at the end. There was also Carmina Villaroel, the perennial Ms. Winsome Smile winner, whose game plan was to be always ready with any energetic dance number, depending on who the judges were or the type of audience was.
There were other notable “beauty queens” in the group including Christine Jacobs, whose chances of making it to the top five in one prestigious contest did not materialize even if five of the nine judges were actually her college best friends. The reason? They were not able to recognize their beautifully-transformed classmate in a wig, shaved legs and arms, and a body made curvaceous by rolls and rolls of packaging tape.
At the end of each pageant, they pooled their cash prizes and distributed the cash to the other members in the group who had to purchase a pair of shoes or the required textbooks, settle the unpaid school fees or pay the practicum fee. More often than not the actual winner was ready to settle for a measly share of the cash prize, knowing that the other in the group needed it most. Sometimes it event went to the member who did not even make it to the semis, or the friend who was in charge of their costumes, or one of their make-up artists who had an electric bill to pay, or a younger sibling to send to school.
The Pampanga Dragons have long moved on from pageant conteseras to successful and respected individuals who continue to solidify their names and reputation in their chosen fields. That period did not only start their rise to fame, it also saw the forging of beautiful friendships made even stronger over the years. I am truly honored to have met them back then; and equally privileged to call them my good friends to this day!
