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From P2,500 to the crown: How Precious Paula Nicole won 'Drag Race Philippines'

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Josiah Antonio, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="ABS-CBN News." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/10/13/20221013-precious-paula-nicole-abs-cbn-news.jpg"/><figcaption>Precious Paula Nicole poses with her crown as the first winner of “Drag Race Philippines”. Photo by Josiah Antonio, ABS-CBN News.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Having only P2,500 in her bank account, Precious Paula Nicole had always expected the worst coming into &quot;Drag Race Philippines&quot; -- but she ultimately won the crown. &quot;Alam ni Brigiding ‘yun na ang pera ko na lang pagpasok ng competition, P2,500 na lang ‘yung laman ng ATM ko. Pero sabi ko bahala na basta huwag lang akong matanggal sa first episode para may maiuwi ako kahit papaano. ‘Yun na lang naging motivation ko,&quot; Precious told ABS-CBN News in an interview.&quot;May pagko-convince pero may ano rin, pananakot ba. Kaya I’m really grateful na ginawa nila ‘yun kasi kung hindi wala ‘to, gurl (pointing at the crown),&quot; she added.Precious had no plans to compete due to her financial struggles but after some pep talk with her &quot;Divine Divas&quot; sisters, Brigiding and Viñas Deluxe, she took a shot at the crown.&quot;Actually, wala talaga akong kaplano-plano. Nung naglabas si RuPaul sa YouTube ng audition, sabi ko lang talaga sa sarili ko, hindi ‘to para sa ’kin kasi I was in Bicol kasi ‘yung lolo ko nasa ospital, inaalagaan namin. I was financially unstable that time. So sabi ko nun sa sarili ko gastos lang ‘yan. Hindi ko siya minaliit, hindi ko ni-judge ‘yung ‘Drag Race’ pero I knew that time, hindi siya for me. I feel bad kasi alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi ako para sa Season 1,&quot; Precious said.&quot;I was really expecting for the worst. Every taping kaya kung napapansin niyo, lagi kong inaaral ‘yung mga lip-sync for your life, laging ganon ako eh. Kahit may Untucked diyan, bahala kayo diyan kasi ayokong mag-perform nang hindi ako prepared so I was really preparing and expecting for the worst,&quot; she added.A regular performer at O-bar, Precious hoped that her skills in performing could at least allow her to stay in the competition for a while despite not looking the best on the runway.&quot;Hoping for the best pero alam ko kasi sa sarili ko na hindi naman talaga ko prepared at all, sabi ko nga eh. Huwag lang talaga akong matanggal sa una eh, huwag lang akong ma-porkchop, huwag lang akong ma-Vangie, okay lang ako. So, nung dumaan na ‘yung competition, doon ko na-realize na kaya ko pala eh kaso hindi ako prepared, ‘yung mga gamit ko sa next episode, sabi ko, bahala na si Batman,&quot; she said.&quot;Magpe-perform ako kasi that’s what I do, regardless if hindi maganda ‘yung costume ko basta I will go to the stage, I will perform, I will give my 100 percent,&quot; she added.Known as a Regine Velasquez impersonator, Precious&#x27; morale was boosted when the veteran singer was the guest judge in the episode and she won the &#x27;Rusical&#x27; challenge.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/09/01/22/regine-velasquez-shines-in-drag-race-ph-rusical-challenge">Regine Velasquez shines in &#x27;Drag Race Philippines&#x27; rusical challenge</a></li></ul>&quot;Nung nalaman ko na nandun si Ate Reg, I felt that episode is for me. I will get this, I will win this kasi it’s Ate Reg, that’s my idol, that’s my inspiration. Sabi ko, hindi ko pwede ‘tong pakawalan. I remember one queen told me na, Precious, galingan mo, kasi I really believe that itong moment na ‘to, ginawa ‘to ng universe para sa ’yo. Huwag kang magme-mess up kasi baka matanggal sa ’yo ‘yung opportunity and kilala ko kung sino nagsabi nun, si Eva Le Queen ‘yung nagsabi nun. Sabi niya sa ’kin, this is for you, sis. Ginalingan ko and binigay naman,&quot; Precious said.&quot;I know na kaya kong manalo but I don’t have the things para maging top. Lahat ng na-prepare ko kasi, everytime na maglalabas na kami ng gamit parang ang underdressed ko compared to them,&quot; she added.It was heartbreaking for Precious to see her Divine Divas sisters go after her win but it pushed her more to snatch the crown.&quot;Malungkot ‘yung mga parts na ‘yun kasi nung day 1 pa lang nagtatanungan na kami na sino sa tingin niyo ‘yung makakasama niyo sa Top 4 lagi kong sinasabi Divine Divas and Marina (Summers),&quot; the drag queen said.&quot;Kahit sino lang sa ’min tatlo makapasok sa Top 4, masayang-masaya na kami at kahit ano’ng mangyari dapat ilaban namin hanggang dulo kaya hindi ako na-discourage,&quot; she added.Precious kept on holding on to her talent and delivered during the finale with her reveals and precise lip-syncing skills.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/10/12/22/precious-paula-nicole-is-the-1st-drag-race-ph-winner">Precious Paula Nicole is the first &#x27;Drag Race Philippines&#x27; winner</a></li></ul>&quot;Gusto ko lang na malaman nila na kahit hindi ako prepared, gusto ko lang din na ma-feel nila na lalaban ako nang patas kahit na alam ko na hindi tayo pareho ng preparation. Tinatago ko pa siya nung first few episodes tapos nung nagkaroon ng moment na may nakapansin na hindi talaga ako prepared, doon ko na lang sinabi na ito ‘yung nangyayari sa ’kin talaga,&quot; Precious added.&quot;Kung performance lang ang laban, I know that I can deliver but hindi naman ako shunga pero hindi naman hibang na ay I have the best of the best of the best of the clothes na dala-dala ko kasi hindi talaga. Pero kung ang performance at sa pagde-deliver ng bawat challenges ang basehan, somehow I know that I can do it kasi ine-enjoy ko lang talaga siya,&quot; she added.She added that this also opened the conversation on how having a drag career costs a lot of money but it ultimately doesn&#x27;t take away the fact her heart and passion for the craft made her win. &quot;Kasi, totoo naman siya eh. Ang drag kasi is super magastos. It looks expensive, it’s still expensive to be a drag queen. Kumbaga, wala namang nakakaalam sa amin na darating ‘yung ‘Drag Race Philippines’ kaya lahat kami, hindi naman kami prepared. Masuwerte ‘yung ibang queens na meron silang trabaho before, outside their drag career. May mga ganoon eh, na may sumuporta at nag-sponsor sa mga tao,&quot; the Filipino winner said. &quot;Hindi pa ganoon kataas ang rate na binibigay sa amin. Hindi alam ng nakakarami na we buy our own makeup, our costumes, shoes, wigs, accessories, lahat ‘yun pinaggagastusan namin. Hindi siya hiram, hindi siya ‘yung binibigay kaya kailangan din nilang maging prepared kapag sasali sila ng ‘Drag Race’,&quot; she added.Up till now, Precious is still in Cloud 9 after her win but she hopes that her win would open more doors to the LGBT community in mainstream media.&quot;Hindi pa siya nagsi-sink in sa ’kin up till now. Thank you for supporting not just me, thank you for supporting the show, thank you for supporting your local drag queens. Get ready kasi marami pa kayong makikilalang queens na hindi pa nadi-discover at hindi niyo pa masyadong nakikita sa mainstream,&quot; she said. &quot;I’m really looking forward na mas marami pa ‘yung taong maging aware at magmahal sa mga drag queens na katulad namin, ganorn.&quot;<div>RELATED VIDEO:</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2177170" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Having only P2,500 in her bank account, Precious Paula Nicole had always expected the worst coming into 'Drag Race Philippines' -- but she ultimately won the crown.

From P2,500 to the crown: How Precious Paula Nicole won 'Drag Race Philippines'

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From P2,500 to the crown: How Precious Paula Nicole won 'Drag Race Philippines'

Josiah Antonio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 13, 2022 05:41 PM PHT

Read More:

Drag Race Philippines

RuPaul's Drag Race

LGBT

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