"Maraming, maraming salamat dahil kinikilala ninyo ang aking tinig.
"Higit sa lahat, kinikilala ninyo ang aking pagkababae," shared Mela Habijan during her speech at the Cosmopolitan Philippines Women of Influence 2023 Dinner last March 21, 2023 at Manila House in Bonifacio Global City.
Mela joins equally impressive women on the list of honorees who have left a mark in their own spheres of influence: actress Nadine Lustre, content creator Rain Matienzo, siblings and JellyTime founders Ava Daza-Zanirato and Isabelle Daza, Home Buddies founder Frances Cabatuando, and filmmakers Antoinette Jadaone, and Samantha Lee.
As the first winner of Miss Trans Global in 2020, Mela has shown that being honored with the crown was a sign of true affirmation.
Using her pull on social media, Mela has been delivering her honest takes on LGBTQIA+ issues alongside pressing political matters and Philippine affairs.
As a content creator, she's been driving forward meaningful conversations while continuously giving fans and supporters a peek into her life.
She said in her thank-you speech to one of the country’s leading lifestyle platforms, "I’m here and this is what inspires me today.
"I cannot believe that I am stepping up on this stage being regarded as a person of influence and more importantly a woman.
"Because not everyone would agree, not everyone will say I am a woman. But Cosmopolitan, thank you for including a person like me.
"Because every day, we have to defend ourselves in [sic] different types of violence, prejudice, and it’s heartbreaking.
"Yesterday, I was just misgendered. The other day I was called a 'sir.'
"Three days ago, I received from transwomen from two different universities saying they’re being asked to cut their hair.
"And it pains me because all they want is to just simply live. All we want is to just simply go forth, dream, be whoever we are just like all of you."
Mela assured everyone of her commitment to empower more people like her.
"And, now here I am I guess, I am given an important platform to just simply tell their voices, tell their sufferings, tell their dreams, tell their future."
She then held up the Women of Influence award and called attention to another transwoman who, she said, also deserved to be recognized.
Mela named Drag Den Philippines creator, director, and writer Rodina Singh in her speech, saying, "Rodina, I’m dedicating this to you. Because you always paved the way for drag queens for our trans community to be heard."
Drag Den Philippines, which contributed to the popularity of reality drag competitions, had just ended its first season.
Hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race alumna and Filipino-American drag queen Manila Luzon, Drag Den Philippines, touted Naia Black as its first-ever winner last January.
Mela closed her speech by thanking her family.
"I’m living a happy life because I have two parents just simply embrace a trans kid like me.
"And hopefully more parents will be like them, because nothing beats the feeling of that happiness that comes from a loving home, that simply accepts you and embraces you for who you are and what you can do."
In a feature in Esquire Philippines four years ago, Mela paid tribute to her dad, who pushed her to strive harder simply by rooting for her all the way.
Mela previously worked as a writer for the now-defunct shows Gandang Gabi Vice, hosted by Vice Ganda, and the showbiz news program The Buzz, hosted by Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino.
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