She is a Storyteller

Aside from being a beauty queen and an actress, Mela Habijan is also a writer, a storyteller.

"I love reading and watching Rom-coms. That's where I usually get my inspiration for my stories. Reading self-help books is also of great help in cultivating my wisdom... Plus, my conversations with the people I encounter everyday. I love talking to people, and through these conversations, I get to create meaningful stories."

"Coffee, a calm space and an open window—that's the perfect writing set-up for me. I want everything to be peaceful when I write. The calmness of everything helps me reflect and explore on ideas better. Yan talaga. Actually, I would want to write beside the beach because that's the most peaceful place for me. Ahhhh Just imagine."

"Because writing for me is a very careful yet rewarding process, so you really need the best writing set-up, especially when you're writing stories that are relevant. Careful in a sense that you have to make things coherent, and at the same time, compelling to your readers. Kailangan din maging credible ka and that would reflect not only on the content, but on how you deliver your story. With the abundance of misinformation these days, you have to make sure that your story is reliable."

"It's also rewarding because it will influence a lot of people eh or at the least, those who will be able to read your story. Kaya napagakahalaga ng pagbababad sa pagsusulat. You have to know what you are writing. For example, the experiences of my trans sisters. I have to hear their story before I could write something about them, about us. I'm a transgender woman but I can't totally represent my trans sisters' stories because they have their own and they may not be the same for me. But I can if I know their stories."

"As a storyteller, empathy is very important. Paano mo iku-kuwento ang experience nila on discrimination for example, eh I myself, I am loved by my family. I am fortunate enough to finish my education and not having to experience worst forms of discrimination just like many of my trans sisters face these days. That's why I want to meet them. I want to hear their stories because I want to learn from their experiences."

"This does not only help me as a writer, but it also strengthens my advocacies as a trans beauty queen. It strengthens my activism to forward the rights of transgender people. If I don't know their issues, paano ako tatayo for them? Paano ako magsasalita for them? I claim to be a representative of the community, especially now that I'm holding a tittle pero para saan, para kanino ba itong titulong ito? Para sa kanila."

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Mela Habijan is known to be the first Filipina to win Miss Trans Global 2020. In September 2020, she bested 17 contestants from other countries, including four other Filipinas, and won in the said international pageant.

Even before winning the title, Mela has been proactive in advocating for humans rights and LGBTQIA+ welfare. With her title, she further extends her advocacy to relevant causes in her community such as HIV/AIDS and Transgender health.

Mela is currently a freelance actress, writer, and producer. In her free time, she also does motivational speaking and trains aspiring campus journalists, particularly feature writers, to compete in national school press conferences.