Pura Luka Vega Declared Persona Non Grata in Oriental Mindoro

Oriental Mindoro declares Pura Luka Vega persona non grata

PURA LUKA VEGA – The drag artist has been declared persona non grata in Oriental Mindoro due to his controversial “Ama Namin” performance.

Provincial Board Member Roland Ruga said on Wednesday, August 30, that the 11th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) passed a resolution declaring Pura, whose real name is Amadeus Fernando Pagente, as persona non grata in the province.

According to Ruga, Calapan City Councilor Rhona Leachon, who serves on the board as the League of Councilors president, submitted the resolution to SP on August 24. Ruga also mentioned that the provincial board received a letter from Gov. Humerlito Dolor, requesting that the drag queen be declared persona non grata due to his performance, which some individuals described as “sacrilegious,” “blasphemy,” and “disrespectful.”

“As public officials, it is our responsibility to promote sensible and prudent expression of art in Oriental Mindoro. We must dissuade artistic expressions offensive to social, religious, and cultural values. It is also our duty to uphold the respect and dignity accorded to religious beliefs and traditions,” Dolor stated in his letter to the board.

Apart from Oriental Mindoro, several cities and provinces across the country have declared Pura Luka Vega persona non grata. These include Manila, Marikina City, Marinduque, Batangas City, Bohol, Talisay, Mandaue City, and Cebu City in Cebu, as well as Lucena City in Quezon Province, Occidental Mindoro, Dinagat Islands, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Cagayan de Oro City, Bukidnon, General Santos City in South Cotabato, Floridablanca in Pampanga, and Toboso in Negros Occidental.

Drag artist Pura Luka Vega previously responded to the successive declarations of persona non grata against him. He expressed, “Tell me EXACTLY what I did wrong. I’m open for a dialogue and yet cities have been declaring persona non grata without even knowing me or understanding the intent of the performance. Drag is art. You judge me yet you don’t even know me.”