MANILA — While heartbreaking, "Drag Den Philippines" host Manila Luzon and director Rod Singh explained why they chose an elimination format for the show's second season.

In the second season of "Drag Den Philippines," the queen with the lowest score will be going home.

By draw lots, three queens will battle it out in the "Dragdagulan" and will have the chance to get immunity.

Maria Lava is the first casualty of the new rules of the show after Elvira, who got the lowest score, won immunity.

• Maria Lava is first casualty of 'Drag Den PH' new rules

Speaking to reporters during a round table discussion, Manila admitted that she was against having an elimination format but they also listened to the viewers, who have been asking to raise the stakes.

"I was very against, by the way, because I really like the idea of giving the opportunity for the queens to showcase what they have until the end. But the fans really wanted the stakes to be higher," the host said.

"Honestly, it does make the stakes become higher, the drama is more because they might be eliminated. We give some of the power to the queens, it's not just us. You'll gonna have to watch because every episode is very different," Manila added.

Singh said that having the non-elimination format made the queens of "Drag Den Philippines" season one equal as they become part of the show as members of the judges' panel.

"We originally created 'Drag Den' with a no-elimination format but as we have said this is for Filipinos, by Filipinos. We need to like consider how the fans felt with the first season... I, you know, was sad with that," Singh said.

"But then, we realized that 'pag napanood mo 'yung season 1 to season 2, the origins of the drag cartel, or bakit walang elimination format is because these queens will eventually be part of the second season or the drag agents on duty," she added.

"Isipin mo if there was an elimination format during their season, 'pag umupo sila sa judging panel, everybody would ask 'why are you there?'"

The director added that the debut season served as their bible and it would just be a variation in the succeeding seasons.

"We've seen season 1, hindi siya like sinong pinakamagaling mag-drag, it's more of like who's gonna be the supreme. It's like, when we did season 1, nagsimula kaming mag-tape ng episode 1, we really can't tell who's gonna be the supreme," Singh said.

"At the back of our head, 8 queens na 'yun, anyone doon sa 8 can be the supreme. It's like a battle among them who could be the first drag supreme kasi from then on, the first season was the bible, the next seasons would be variations of that bible. This is the grand bible of 'Drag Den' ito siya at heart, it's the purest form of it, kumbaga," she added.

Singh said they always make sure to listen to their audience and that changes would still be expected in the future as they continue to improve the design of "Drag Den Philippines."

"We listen to the feedback naman kahit 'di naman kami personally tina-tag, ako I'm really looking for like how we can improve the show kasi we don't do this for ourselves lang naman. We do this for them as well. While we put the drag queens first, ano 'yung gusto nila, what are their fantasies," the director said.

"We do that first and then we try to incorporate kung ano ba talaga 'yung gusto ng audience kasi we won't survive without our audience, we won't be given another chance if we don't have our audience with us," she added.

"Hopefully, with the adjustments made and the improvements that we've done from season 1 to season 2, we hope to bring in more audience, from audiences na hindi pa namin nage-get from first season."

New episodes of "Drag Den Philippines" season 2 airs on Thursdays at 7 p.m. on Prime Video.

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