Newest Drag Race PH superstar Maxie on her season 3 journey: favorite challenges, weakest performances, and her family's presence

“Drag Race Philippines” Season 3 just finished with Maxie bringing home the crown. Talking with a select group of media, the newest Drag Race Superstar looked back at the season hailed by many as the best yet of the Philippine franchise.

Maxie bested 10 other queens, who all displayed their varied strengths throughout the season; their wit and humor in the Snatch Game (Episode 5), their hosting skills in Pao Presents Plus (Episode 4), their design and aesthetics in Sustaina-Ball (Episode 2) and the runway challenges, and their singing and dancing in the various performance challenges including Dapat Pakak! (Episode 3), Aawicked Kita! (Episode 6) and Lip Sync lalaparuza Smackdown (Episode 8).

“I’m very grateful that wow. This production gave me another opportunity to let people know who Maxie is,” the drag queen from San Andres, Manila said. “I enjoyed every minute of it," she added.

According to Maxie, she was able to introduce herself in the challenges that really allowed her “all of my live singing.” 

“The singing challenges, the first episode, the girl groups, and the finale talent performance — I think those make me unique and different from the other queens. I think it's a strong visual. I'm one of the live singers in Philippine drag,” she told GMA News Online.

Having collected three RuBadges throughout the season, Maxie was long considered a strong contender for the crown but she admits she has her weaknesses, too.

“Hindi ako marunong manahi,” she admits, saying the design challenges were really tough for her. “Marunong ako magdikit ng mga bato pero hindi ako marunong manahi,” she said straightforwardly. According to Maxie, that was really a challenge for her and her sister, Angel. “Yun yung kahinaan namin kasi mga performer kami.”

Despite their weakness, the sisters found themselves in Top Four of the season. Says Maxie, Angel, along with their parents, played a huge role in her Drag Race journey. The seventh episode of the realty show had Maxie walking the runway with their father, who was also in drag, while Angel walked with their mother. 

“It was important na makapikta namin yung support ng family namin. Sa panahon ngayon, maganda mapakita ang pagmahahalan ng pamilya sa TV. Kami ang produkto ng pagmamahalan,” she said. 

In the finale, Maxie touched the hearts of viewers and fans everywhere, when she crowned Angel while singing "Lipad ng Pangarap" by Angeline Quinto and Regine Velasquez. 

“Sharing the crown with my sister was my genuine emotion,” she said.

Maxie won against Khianna to become Drag Race Philippines' 3rd winner. According to Maxie, winning "changed a lot" for things for her. "Na-doble 'yung inspiration ko, mas naging motivated ako ngayon to show more and to be the best queen that I can be."

"Gusto ko matuto sila sa kwento ko at ma-inspire na how matter how many times you fail, there is a day for winning," she said.

— LA, GMA Integrated News