Ongina Biography

Ongina is a Filipino-American drag performer and HIV activist. She has risen to fame for featuring on RuPaul’s Drag Race’s first season. His original name was Pek Pek Galore before Ongina.

She started performing in drag at Lucky Chengs- an Asian restaurant where he worked alongside a then-unknown Laverne Cox. On April 13, 2006, he was diagnosed as HIV-positive. New York magazine named Ongina one of the top 100 Most Powerful Drag Queens in America on June 2019.

Ongina Drag Race

She was selected as one of nine contestants for the inaugural season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. On February 2, 2009, he was officially announced. She revealed her HIV status as positive in the fourth episode where she won her second challenge. In the next episode after losing lip sync to “Stronger” by Britney Spears against eventual winner Bebe Zahara Benet, placing her in the fifth she was eliminated.

She made an appearance in the mid-season recap episode “Extra Special Edition” next to RuPaul. She made a cameo appearance on the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race outside of season 1: All-Stars. she also made five appearances in the first and second season of RuPaul’s Drag U. For the first challenge in the premiere of season 11 of Drag Race, she appeared as a guest.

She was featured in the 2009 music video for “I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas. Her animated version appeared in the “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Dragopolis 2.0” mobile app. In September and October 2018, she appeared in three episodes of the WOWPresents web series “Fashion Photo Review” with Mayhem Miller, filling in for Raja and Raven.

Ongina Age

She was born (Ryan Ong Palao) on 6 January 1982, in the Philippines. She moved to Seattle, Washington in 1994 and then to New York at age 19.  She celebrates her birthday on January 6 every year. She is 37 years old as of 2019. Ongina is an American by nationality but she has roots from the Philippines.

Ongina Family

After doing our research, details about her parents are not available and it is also not known if she has any siblings.

Ongina Husband

Ongina’s husband is Ryan as she wrote on her Facebook account on 26 October 2011, ”A message from my husband Ryan Wray Presents Seats for my Nina Flowers show (Jorge Luis Flores Sanchez) November 18th at executive suite LBC will be on sale starting Monday, October 31st! yay! But due to circumstances beyond my control, there will be a change in the way you make your reservations.

Your reservations must be made at the bar and must be paid for in full at the time of reservation. You can still call the bar to make/pay for reservations, but they can no longer be made by email. Palao is openly gay. She was diagnosed as HIV-positive on April 13, 2006.

Ongina Body Measurements

• Height: Not Available
• Weight: Not Available
• Shoe Size: Not Available
• Body Shape: Not Available
• Hair Colour: Not Available

Ongina Salary

Her exact salary has not yet been revealed but the information will be updated as soon as it is available.

Ongina Net Worth

Working as an HIV activist, there is no doubt Ongina earns a good salary and has been able to accumulate good net worth. However, her exact net worth has not yet been revealed but the information will be updated as soon as it is available.

Ongina Filmography

Television

• 2009 RuPaul’s Drag Race
• 2010–11 RuPaul’s Drag U
• 2012 RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars
• 2019 RuPaul’s Drag Race
• 2019 Lip Sync Battle

Ongina Impact

She has since become an HIV activist. She was the host of an online web show, HIV and Me, a talk show about how they live with HIV/AIDS, interviewing different people. During 2013, she was also a spokesperson for OraQuick, one of the first HIV test kits at home. She received the “Most Addictive Reality Star” NewNowNext Award during 2009, “LadyBoy” was inspired by her.

Rupaul’s Drag Race Ongina

She was best known on RuPaul’s Drag Race for her fashionable runway presentations, and for coming out to the world about being diagnosed with HIV. One of her most memorable performances was doing a lap-dance for a straight man for his birthday in Alabama, at a restaurant she worked at. The man had fun with it after he knew he was at a drag show.

However, when she did a flip-over on the man’s body, her wig fell off. Her view of drag as an artistic expression, as an outlet for a woman, stuck in a gay man’s body to come out and let loose. She views drag as liberating to perform and transform her imagery of performing into reality.

Her view of performing is that the energy, the outfit, the hair, makeup, the creativity of picking the song, and coming on stage living is amazing. In her introduction video for RuPaul’s Drag Race, she described herself as “Lady, Amazing and Fantastic”, as the queens were required to describe 3 words about themselves.

Ongina All-Stars

All-Stars is an American reality competition television series all-star and spin-off produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV. RuPaul- the host and mentor invite past contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race to compete for a spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame. Ongina was shortlisted for all All-Stars seasons but didn’t make the final cast

I Gotta Feeling

She was featured in the I Got a Feeling music video by Black Eyed Peas.

Ongina drag

Palao performs in drag using the name, Ongina. The name is taken from his middle name, Ong which is also his mother’s maiden name and the end of a ‘certain kind of -ina’. His original drag name was Pek Pek Galore.

Frequently Asked Questions About

Ongina

Who is Ongina?

She is a Filipino-American drag performer and HIV activist.

How old is Ongina?

She is 37 years old as of 2019. She was born in 1982.

How tall is Ongina?

She has not revealed her height.

Is Ongina married?

She is married to Ryan Wray.

How much is Ongina worth?

Working as an HIV activist, there is no doubt she earns a good salary and has been able to accumulate good net worth.

How much does Ongina make?

Her exact salary has not yet been revealed but the information will be updated as soon as it is available.

Where does Ongina live?

Her area of residence is not available.

Is Ongina dead or alive?

She is still alive and in good health.

Where is Ongina now?

She is a drag performer and HIV activist.

Ongina Twitter

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