Rod Singh, showrunner of Amazon Prime Video original series Drag Den Philippines, shares the struggles of creating a show from scratch and how she rose above it
“I was made to feel not part of the game before,” exclaimed Rod Singh, “so I created my own game.”
Now, with the successful run of Drag Den, the creator, producer and director of the show stands proud as ever. “Looking back and thinking where we are now, I am proud because I was brave enough to face these struggles and survive all the criticisms thrown against me, against us even before people knew about the format of our show.”
Rod Singh, an award-winning director and the brain behind some of TV and internet’s most viral moments, says she’s careful not to exploit the stories of the drag artists and use them as “pieces of entertainment.” She rather recognises her privileges and the platform given to her to put stories of the LGBTQ+ community, specifically of drag artists, front and centre.
In case you missed it: The queen has arrived: In conversation with drag queen Manila Luzon
Drag Den Philippines

Above The cast of Drag Den (Photo from Drag Den's Instagram)
The cast of Drag Den (Photo from Drag Den's Instagram)
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Drag Den is a Philippine reality TV competition that features a “drag pageantry” of eight (8) drag artists, with famous international drag artist Manila Luzon as “Drag Lord'' (main host), comedienne Sassa Gurl as “Drag Runner”, and beauty queen Nicole Cordoves as “Drag Dealer.” It started airing last December 8, 2022 and has grown a sizeable following since, thanks to the contestants namely Aries Night, Barbie-Q, Lady Gagita, Maria Cristina, Naia, O-A, Pura Luka Vega, and Shewarma.
Yet, it all started with the vision of the showrunner.
“It's just simple: I want to create a drag show that not just highlights, but mainstreams Filipino drag while also representing the LGBTQ+ community,” Singh says. She also explains the reason behind the format of the reality TV competition. “Kaya wala rin kaming elimination (That’s why we don’t have elimination rounds) as a format because the main idea is that if we really want to showcase Filipino drag in a TV show, we should be able to give them that opportunity.”
The title of the show and the designations of the central personalities give away the political nature of the competition–exactly how Singh envisioned it.

Above Drag Den episode 6 (Photo from Precious Paula Nicole's Twitter)
Drag Den episode 6 (Photo from Precious Paula Nicole's Twitter)
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“Queer entertainment should always be reflective of the current political landscape. When creating a show we have to think kung ano ang magiging epekto nito sa mga tao (how it would affect people). If we really want to mainstream something, we need to consider our non-queer audience because we’re not doing it for ourselves.”
The director also addressed another criticism of the show. "One criticism of Drag Den was that we chose social responsibility rather than marketability. I don’t think those are two things," she says, "I think you can market something while being socially responsible."
See also: SOGIE Equality Bill: everything you need to know

Above Drag Den cast at a viewing party in Eskapo Bar

Above Dragdagulan contest (Photo from Mayos Joy Belmonte Twitter)
Drag Den cast at a viewing party in Eskapo Bar
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With every episode aired, the group would hold viewing parties with avid fans and, more recently, a live “dragdagulan contest” with local drag queens. This is their way of not just giving back to the community by spotlighting mostly starting drag artists but also, how the show remains true to its roots of “barangayan drag” (drag scene in the local districts' streets).
Even Mayor Joy Belmonte expressed in a tweet her support for the contest, which is usually held in Quezon City. She writes, "Kaisa si Mayor Joy Belmonte sa pagsuporta at pagtangkilik sa talento, at pagsulong ng pantay na karapatan para sa ating mga kapatid na kabilang sa LGBTQ+ community (Mayor Joy Belmonte is one in supporting and patronising the talent, and pushing for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community)."
Reclaiming local drag and the question of queer representation
“It’s important to live the life of a queer person through the eyes of those who suffer more than you, those who are deprived of the privileges that you have.”
- Rod Singh -
The term "pang-barangay" (barangay level) was often used derogatorily. . .until Rod Singh and the team behind Drag Den decided to take back its power. “Drag Den is about reintroducing the idea na mayroon tayong drag dito (that we have a drag scene here),” Singh says. The director furthers, “Ang tagal na nating nakakakita ng bakla, ng drag queen, pero wala ni isang TV show ang nag-exist about them. (We have long seen gay people, drag queens, but there is no single TV show that existed about them.)”
However, she maintains that being a queer creative and tackling queer subjects is not enough. Even having a producer, director, creator and other what-have-yous amongst the top management of a show or movie will not cut it. Because for her queer representation shouldn’t end there. “Importante na ma-capture 'yung nuances ng community (It is important to capture the nuances of the community), especially characters such as drag queens because we are trying to truly represent the community. You can only do that if you’ve been here long enough.”
And part of capturing that nuance is knowing the struggles of the community, as Singh explained. “Our struggles as LGBTQ+ people vary, and it’s very, very important as a creative [person] to be aware of the struggles he or she or them aims to represent.” She expounds, “It’s important to live the life of a queer person through the eyes of those who suffer more than you, those who are deprived of the privileges that you have.”
See also: Pride And Equality: The Plight Of The Filipino LGBTQ+
"Birthing pains"
We have proven them wrong.
- Rod Singh -
The show's success, however, did not come without any trials and tribulations. For Rod Singh, one of the biggest struggles was to navigate having an original show directly pitted against an established one—or in her own words, "an institution not just in the entertainment industry, but in the drag scene".
Drag Den was announced on July 4, 2021, and soon after, world-famous drag queen RuPaul Charles broke out the news that his eponymous international franchise 'RuPaul's Drag Race' (RPDR) is coming to the Philippines. Some fans of the show were quick to speculate a rivalry between the two, while others called it a 'win-win situation'.
For quite a long time, though, there was zero visibility with Drag Den aside from a few social media teasers here and there. But it quickly found a dedicated following after the launch.
"I recognise that RuPaul’s Drag Race opened so many opportunities for American drag queens but also for a lot of drag queens in the world," Rod reveals. She continues, "Being different is a gift and a curse at the same time. A gift because you can do whatever you want to do, but also a curse because people will subject you to an unfair standard. I call it ‘unfair’ because RuPaul’s Drag Race is created specifically for American drag culture." She felt that having RPDR as an automatic template for every drag show, especially for the local scene, will make it hard to capture the nuances of the local drag community. So she trusted her guts and decided to do Drag Den differently.
However, there were moments when she would find herself reflecting on whether she "pushed too much." "Then again," she reiterated her point, I’ve been to the receiving end of so much struggle as a queer person. So I don’t think anyone has the right to tell me that I am too much!"

Above The queens of Drag Den with showrunner Rod Singh at the press gala (Photo from Drag Den Twitter)
The queens of Drag Den with showrunner Rod Singh at the press gala (Photo from Drag Den Twitter)
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Despite a year of enduring hardships, ultimately, the director thinks it is a case of "apples and oranges." "Whenever we get an opportunity to represent the community, to tell our stories, it should be a notch higher than where we are now," she adds.
"I was given the platform to share the stories of drag queens through my perspective and I will do my best, give it my whole heart." She proudly announces, "Our queens have proven them wrong, we have proven them wrong."
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Drag Den Philippines airs every Thursday on Amazon Prime Video. The finale episode is set for tomorrow, January 26.