Friday, March 29, 2024

A throwback tribute to the Palawan Drag Queens

PALAWANDERER.COM

A throwback tribute to the Palawan Drag Queens

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At a time that Stand-Up Comedy bar fever is reaching provinces, the City of Puerto Princesa try to have their own version, harnessing local talents and give them platform to showcase their hidden skills in hosting, and doing drag prod numbers.

In 2003, it was Island Samurai who first venture in producing Divas of Palawan, an imitation to the famous then “Raging Divas” of Manila, they were given nightly show entertaining customers to the best they can.

The first batch of the so called “Drag Queens of Palawan” includes radio showbiz anchor Tootsie Givana and Julyna Magbungkal, joining them are Jomel Aplaon who impersonates Madonna, Paloma who sings like Regine Velasquez, Patrick Bagano who also sing ala Mariah Carey, Errol Palanca that impersonates Christina Aguilera, Dodoy Conales as Jessa Zaragoza and Jobelle Silvestre that dance like Britney Spears.

These group of entertainers except the two radio hosts are a product of a special show “Eba’t Ebang Diva” of Jay Loyola, your Palawanderer recruited them for the rebranding of Island Samurai, a kinky girlish bar along Rizal Avenue extension.

Moving forward, the said gig didn’t last for long as many other bars with full band set up show dominate the night scene of the city, only Paloma stay in the business as Stand Comedian till now, she is now popularly known as the song bird of Palawan.

Eventually Tootsie returns this 2021 in bar life as comedian and as herself after working in Manila and in abroad, while Julyna is happily settled in a corporate life also base in Manila.

Jomel the Primadonna of all the Diva is also leading a life in BPO industry also base in Manila, while Errol is living as trans in Batangas, Rodelo became one of the in demand local make up artist up to now, and as active leader of Balangaw LGBTQ Org,  and Jobel became one of the known fashion designer in the province. Patrick ventures into event organizing and was producing shows and concert lately.

Here is a clip of Bandillo ng Palawan story published in Sipet-Sipet Espesyal dated February 10-16, 2003, featuring their valentines special show in 2003.