Miss Gay Philippines was founded in 1979 by Chito Alcid, a Filipino entertainment reporter and talk show host.

[3] The pageant is intended to promote the integration of Filipino LGBT people into mainstream life in the Philippines.

"[1] Following Alcid's death in 2013,[4] the Miss Gay Philippines franchise was bought out by the Betera Group.

[5] In order to qualify as a contestant for Miss Gay Philippines, contestants must fulfill these qualifications:[6][7] Gay, trans, and bisexual identities are blurred in Filipino culture in a third gender identity, bakla, in contrast to Western society's strict separation of gender and sexuality.

[6] The Miss Gay Philippines pageant consists of traditional costumes, an opening number, swimsuits and evening gowns.

Previous judges include model and former beauty queen Evangeline Pascual,[9] actress Susan Roces, Miss International pageant winner Melanie Marquez and actor Eddie Garcia.

LGBT Filipino immigrants have held similar Miss Gay Philippines pageants in Oslo[18] and Toronto.

[21] Ian Valdez, an actor who has appeared in Tagalog films such as Woman of Breakwater,[22] was a Miss Gay Philippines contestant.

"[26] Kristine Coronel and Vodca Dee, original crown holders of Miss Gay Philippines International and Asia Pacific 2015 respectively, were dethroned from their titles and as members of the Betera Group for repeated violation of section (e) of the memorandum of agreement for Miss Gay Philippines winners that prohibits talent from participating in lesser pageants.