"It's a Match!" Snatch Game as a Critique of Socio-political Issues in the Philippines

Proponent/s Name/s (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

• Meg B. Franza, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
• Mischlove A. Geguera, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
• Miranda G. Pineda, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow
• Leonard R. Sunga, De La Salle University, ManilaFollow

Document Types

Paper Presentation

Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)

Media and Philippine Studies (MPS)

School Name

De La Salle University Integrated Senior Highschool Manila

Track or Strand

Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS)

Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)

Taeza, Jeyson, T.

Start Date

23-6-2026 1:30 PM

End Date

23-6-2026 3:00 PM

Zoom Link/ Room Assignment

DLSU Manila Campus (In-person) - Don Enrique T. Yuchengco Hall - Y502

Abstract/Executive Summary

Recent scholarship has increasingly recognized Filipino drag performance as a form of socio-political critique, particularly amid debates and controversies that reinforced the notion that “drag is political.” Despite this growing discourse, the role of Filipino drag artists in critiquing political and cultural realities through performance remained understudied within Philippine scholarship. Building on this gap, this study examined how Snatch Game performances in Drag Race Philippines functioned as a socio-political critique through humor, parody, and impersonation. The study investigated how Filipino drag performers used satire to challenge dominant power structures, colonial legacies, corruption, media influence, and gender norms. Guided by Rhoderick Nuncio’s Proseso ng Impersonasyon framework, the researchers analyzed the five elements of impersonation: character, impersonator, impersonation, audience, and feedback.  The paper examined all Snatch Game episodes from Seasons 1–3 and Slaysian Royale, alongside highly engaged Reddit discussion threads to evaluate audience reception and participatory critique. Findings revealed that drag queens strategically employed exaggeration, distortion, vulgarity, and deficiency to humanize influential and authoritative figures, transforming them into accessible subjects of satire. Impersonations of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Sara Duterte, Kris Aquino, Jessica Soho, Joy Belmonte, and Maria Clara exposed anxieties surrounding corruption, political dynasties, colonial mentality, media authority, and gender conservatism. Audience discussions further demonstrated how viewers acted as co-critics, extending socio-political discourse beyond televised performance. The study argued that Snatch Game served as a performative site of resistance and civic commentary, transforming humor into critical engagement with contemporary Philippine social realities.

Keywords

Snatch Game, socio-political, process of impersonation, Drag Race Philippines, drag queens

Initial Consent for Publication

yes

Statement of Originality

yes