The third installment of #GCashStories reveals Turing’s inspiring tale of self-love, devotion to family, and finding hope amidst adversity
Even before Drag Race Philippines, Turing was already a standout talent in the local scene. As one of the country’s most admired queens, her presence commands respect. On stage, where she is in her full form, any spectator’s eyes are hers alone. To fully grasp the poetic expressions others put in words when speaking of her live performances, one must experience them firsthand. No one captivates her audience with such emotional intensity as Turing. And evidently, it is, in fact, the performance facet of drag that harmonizes deeply within her.
“I guess, ang number one na nabibigay ng drag, and I think I can speak for everyone who does drag, eh ‘yung confidence na ‘kaya kong gawin ‘to.’ May gano’n siyang nabibigay sa’yo eh. Sobrang laki ng pasasalamat ko sa drag. There are a lot of things na hindi mangyayari kung hindi ako naging drag queen. I tried film before, I tried theatre, pero hindi pa siya para sa akin back then. Sa drag, naging successful ‘yung karera ko. And then, kasabay nu’n, bumalik ‘yung theatre at film,” she says.
Drag became the trail that led Turing to explore her artistry where no other career path could offer. She had unlocked the boundless possibilities of drag that brought her fantasies to life and found a platform where she could thrive as an artist.
Turing expounds, “I get to express myself fully, and I get to do things I was limited to before. Hindi naman ako magaling kumanta. Hindi naman ako biritera para maging si Elphaba, pero sa drag, kaya ko i-perform ang ‘Defying Gravity.’ Hindi naman ako si Nina ng In The Heights, pero kaya ko i-perform ang ‘Breathe.’ Hindi ko naman kaya si Angelica Schuyler eh, pero nagagawa ko limang piyesa ng Hamilton.”
How her drag journey began
Before drag, Turing was involved in behind-the-scenes work in different fields of the production industry, but she has always been attracted to the spotlight and to bathe in its blinding splendor. “Nag-aral ako mag-perform hindi sa likod ng camera,” she recalls her frustration with having a degree in performing arts and being unable to utilize it.
Her drag journey began when a friend came across a Facebook post about O Bar’s search for new performers. She had a basic understanding of being a drag queen, but was not familiar with the A-Z or what the scene was like here in the Philippines. “Drag is basically theatre—same fundamentals, same things that you need to do when you study a song, you rehearse a script, it’s the same,” says Turing. “So, sabi ko, ‘Sige, game! Laban ‘yan!’ I auditioned. I got in. I trained. And the rest is history.”
Despite having a genuine love for the craft, Turing didn’t pursue drag out of passion. She initially did it by force of circumstance in pursuit of a steady income stream. “I was 25 and I wanted something stable. ‘Yung mga ka-batch ko nakakapag-ipon na. Ako, wala pa,” she says.
Turing is a shining figure of positivity for her fans and audience and, above all, for her family. When Turing’s father passed away in 2014, she was forced to take on the breadwinner role despite being the youngest among three siblings simply because she was unmarried. This new responsibility didn’t faze her, and instead, she embraced the challenge and dedicated herself to her work to sustain her large family of nine under one roof. “Hindi naman siya talaga naging total problem for me. Trying to get the money was the problem,” she says.
A dimension of expression
Just as a painter uses colors to create a perceivable idea on canvas, Turing uses the graceful flow of movements as her masterpiece. “Dance is part of my DNA,” asserts Turing. “It’s become an extension of myself that I don’t need to talk about, but you will get to see. May mga bagay na gusto kong sabihin pero hindi kayang bigkasin ng mga labi ko, pero kayang igalaw ng mga daliri ko at ng katawan ko. Sometimes, all you need is movement; you don’t need words.”
Through the mesmerizing art of dance, Turing has found a medium to peel another layer of her soul that drag supplements perfectly. Her fearless artistic expression spews messages of empowerment that inspire others to leave their insecurities at the door. This celebration of self is often a dominant theme in her performances.
“Body positivity is loving and accepting your body no matter what size or state you are in now,” Turing says, reinforcing her self-love advocacy. “All my life, I try to fit into a certain body type na hindi ko naman ma-a-achieve. I’ve been trying to fit into that society standard na I started to lose myself. Teka, pinipilit ko ‘yung sarili ko sa isang body type na hindi naman para sa akin. Ginagawa ko lang ‘yun para lang ma-please ‘yung ibang tao. Para lang masabi na ‘Ah okay, you look good,’ ‘Ah, nice body.’ I stopped caring. Minahal ko ‘yung sarili ko—as long as I’m healthy, wala akong sakit.”
Turing goes on to share a misconception about body positivity. “Pwede ka maging body positive, pero meron ka pa rin body goals. Mahalin mo kung ano ‘yung katawan mo ngayon para pag na-achieve mo na ‘yung body goals mo, mas mahal mo na siyaat mas mapapangalagaan mo na siya. That’s what happened to me when I tried to be fit—doon ko pa lang minahal ‘yung katawan ko. Pero ‘nung tumaba ulit ako, nalugmok ako. Parang niloko ko lang ‘yung sarili ko. Sinaktan ko lang ‘yung sarili ko. Body positivity is accepting your body right now no matter what state you are in.”
Down into the abyss
Lockdowns during the onslaught of COVID-19 introduced unforeseen challenges, hitting the nightlife industry with the most brutal blow. Like many others during that unprecedented time, Turing also succumbed to depression. “Ang lungkot ko na lang. Tinatamad na ako at wala akong gana,” she says as she brings to mind all that had transpired during one of the lowest moments of her life. “It [reached] a point na hindi ako nakatulog nang two days kasi ‘pag pumipikit ako, kinakain ako ng dilim.”
When depression escalates, it can manifest as a cloak of darkness cocooning one’s entire being. To avoid free-falling into its perils, Turing opened up to her friends who are experts in the field so she could make out what’s happening and regain control of her life.
“Subconsciously daw, sobrang dami kong dinadala na sinasantabi ko lang,” she shares. “Trying to be positive pero hindi ko alam na naiipon na pala siya. Kumbaga sa kasabihan, ‘Yung baso ko, napuno na ng tubig, so tatabig na siya. That was also the time na dalawang kakilala ko [succumbed to it] because of the same thing—depression. Nalampasan ko siya kasi na-recognize ko agad, in-acknowledge ko na [it was] depression. Lumabas ulit ‘yung pagiging responsable kong anak. Hindi tayo pwedeng malungkot kasi hindi tayo makakakain.”
Pag-asa para sa lahat
Like many live performers during that time, Turing shifted her work to online platforms. “Umangat lang talaga ‘yung pagiging responsable kong anak. ‘Pag hindi ako kumayod, hindi kami makakakain. Hindi kami makakabayad ng renta at groceries,” recalls Turing. This pivot provided a way to connect with old and new audiences. It also opened the door to generating income, ensuring that she could continue supporting herself and her family amidst a period of uncertainty.
The move of almost all businesses to digital sparked a demand for contactless everything, and GCash was the sole cutting edge in its category. GCash quickly became a lifeline for those struggling with the harsh truths of the pandemic by offering real-time rewards that set in place renewed motivation and finally finding that sense of purpose again to keep moving forward.
“Sa GCash kasi, instant ko siya nare-receive. Iwas budol ‘yung GCash. ‘Yung drive mo to work harder and ‘yung drive mo to perform better was andoon kasi alam mong may na-receive kang maayos na tip,” shares Turing.
The convenience, intuitive design, and “Send Money” feature of GCash have been its enduring triumphs that caused everyone to open an account. The population embraced the app very readily, and it has now established itself in society. Because tipping is a huge aspect of the drag culture, GCash has extended its value by surpassing the lockdowns and becoming an indelible feature of any drag show in the Philippines by enabling anyone and everyone to transfer money securely to the GCash wallet of drag queens for free. Its notable role in the recent surge of drag popularity is something to be commended.
Kaya mo ‘to, Turing!
Turing’s catchphrase is a sweet, albeit loud, love letter to her inner spirit. “Let’s do this” is a touching reminder of a moment in her life when she drew strength and comfort from these words during a difficult hurdle. The powerful utterance brought her to Drag Race Philippines, opening so many doors that now shape her life journey.
In the face of hardship, the determined spirit of resilience prevails and stands as the beacon of inspiration. GCash is one with individuals like Turing who keeps going even when the road gets rough and treat obstacles as a sign to fight harder. “Itong nangyari sa akin ngayon sa GCash, ito’y produkto lang ng pagpapatuloy sa ginagawa ko. Hi-nighlight ng GCash ‘yung buhay ko ‘nung pandemya. Wala namang makulay na nangyari sa akin noon. Nilaban ko lang talaga. It was just me trying to survive and trying to keep my family afloat,” says Turing. “‘Yung lockdown story ko ay phase ng buhay ko na ayaw ko balikan dahil malungkot siya. Pero iba ‘yung perspective ng GCash family: maganda siya.” GCash believes that every story, big or small, is worth telling, as it can empower every Filipino—especially the LGBTQIA+ community—to remain hopeful and reach their dreams.
Much like Turing’s kulambo, her lifelong source of comfort and a sense of security and reassurance, we search for things that anchor us back to safety in times of stress and anxiety. Seeking the rainbow in the most violent storms is believing in brighter times. By staying hopeful, we are already starting our story of success.
Photography & Post-Processing RENZO NAVARRO
Creative Direction JUJIIN SAMONTE
Art Direction BRIE VENTURA
Fashion Direction RYUJI SHIOMITSU
Beauty Direction MIA CASTRO
Styling CHRISTINE SION assisted by CHRISTOPHER ALERTA of NEW COLLECTIVE STYLE
Makeup KENRIC CARPIO
Hair EMERSON PASCUA/WIGS BY MARGAUX
Nails CLAWED BY POMZ
Wigs MERMAID MANILA HAIR
Shoot Coordination ERICA LUNA & KZ FRANCISCO
Studio GUIJO STUDIO
