VANILLA ON TOP! CASS shows the Weaver of the Night during PALAKASAN Drag Queen

It was a night to remember at Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) as the first ever (preliminary show of the) Drag Queen contest was held at its gymnasium. The air was thick with anticipation as representatives from each college took to the stage to strut their stuff. Jovan Virtudazo, the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) representative, stylized as Vanilla Maxwell, made her mark!

The moment Vanilla Maxwell stepped onto the stage, dressed in a sleek black leotard that huggged that toned physique, the audience was entranced. But it wasn’t the outfit alone that set Vanilla Maxwell apart—au contraire, it was the sporadic moves! As the spide web prop on Vanilla’s back signified the icon of an emerald arachnid, the queen crawled on all fours, imitating a spider in a move that left the crowd gasping and shouting in amazement.

Then the music began. Dancing to the iconic disco hit “I Will Survive,” Vanilla launched itself to perform with much ferocity. More than the move—it was also Vanilla’s way of interacting with the crowd. With masterful tactics, the queen snagged the crowd’s attention and made sure ‘we’ saw the ‘queen’ in Vanilla Maxwell. Vanilla engaged with the audience at every possible turn, and the cheers from CASS and other colleges were deafening, each one filled with pride and confidence.

Perhaps it was more than just a show. It was a celebration of self-expression and the power of individuality. Vanilla Maxwell had taken risks, introspected, and delivered a show that will forever be etched in the memories of everyone around.

As the first ever Drag Queen preliminaries at MSU-IIT came to a close, Vanilla Maxwell was left standing as a spider who had spun a web of confidence and unforgettable leaps and bounds.

Vanilla’s performance was a testament to the power of confidence and self-assurance, and it was clear that the Arachnid ate and left an indelible mark on the crowd. The message of embracing one’s uniqueness and celebrating diversity reverberated with every person in that gym and in that night.

The weaver of the night, as we’d say, had spun a web of confidence, beauty, and strength that had captured the hearts of everyone present. It was a moment that would go down in MSU-IIT history, and Jovan Virtudazo, Vanilla Maxwell, made a mark—a queen to be reckoned with.

About the Author

Hannah Rose Bravo

Hannah contributes to the college publication CASSayuran, which is from CASS, for CASS, and by CASS. She is a fourth-year sociology major at MSU-IIT. She is passionate in writing and literature, and while she was in junior high school, she majored in creative writing. Despite her quiet personality, she is always curious to learn about and share the tales of unique individuals, so she was thrilled when she was given the opportunity to be a part of CASS. Her social skills are not her best edge but her literary interest and abilities are what she always strives to enhance.