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On September 13, 2020, Philippine representative Mela Franco Habijan grabbed the crown as the first Miss Trans Global titleholder.

But according to the beauty queen, the dream was a long time coming given that it all started when she was only four years old.

She tells GMANetwork.com, “I've told to a lot of people na pangarap kong maging Miss Universe. Sabi ko noon, I want to represent the Philippines kasi sobrang nagandahan ako kay Lupita Jones who was a winner at that time.

“So, I identified myself with queens.”

Growing up, Mela's dream had to take a backseat since she was born male.

Things started to change when she started transitioning and having the courage to join trans pageants both here and abroad.

“I joined Miss International Queen twice but I wasn't chosen to take part. Sumali din ako sa dalawang prestigious pageants called Queen of the Philippines and Miss Gay San Fernando.

"I ended up being Queen of the Philippines Third Runner-up and Miss Gay San Fernando First Runner-up -- 'yun 'yung unang sabak ko sa pageantry.”

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A post shared by Miss Mela Habijan (@missmelahabijan) on Aug 7, 2020 at 10:31pm PDT

The sign to join Miss Trans Global came to Mela after a friend shared the mechanics of the pageant on social media.

For the first time, she had an inkling to join the competition given that it would all be online.

She claimed, “It's very interesting kasi it said na it's an all-digital pageant. The process is you submit an application tape and that's it.

“And then, I learned that its a trans pageant, made by transwomen for transwomen. So, the organizers are trans, the judges are trans, and it's a trans pageant. I've never heard of a pageant with that feature.

“It's also very important on my end that it is advocating for the transgender rights movement -- the core of the pageant.

“Sabi ko this is me kasi I'm also an advocate and an activist. So, I want a platform na I will not only become a beauty queen but I will also become a leader of the community that I am very proud of.”

Funny enough, it was not only Mela who competed for the crown but her entire family as well.

She said, “Very hands-on ako sa production process at ang masaya dito ay involved ang buong pamilya ko.

“Ang tagal ko nang sinabi na ang nagko-compete ay hindi lang si Mela but it's the Habijans who competed.

“So joining Miss Trans Global allowed me to cultivate a deeper relationship with my family. Parang, I'm not fighting alone. I have very special people in my life who are rooting for me and who are fighting with me, and battling it out until the last day of the competition.”

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A post shared by Miss Mela Habijan (@missmelahabijan) on Jul 27, 2020 at 5:17am PDT

Now that she won, Mela said her work for the trans community has just begun and there's a lot of work to do.

By early October, she'll be pushing for her three-part project called “Transform Woman,” “True Colors,” and “#Womanity.”

She added, “Reality bites na transwomen are being looked down by the society.

“Even if I won, just look at the comments section. I've been seeing negative and nasty comments about me. That's part of the reality.

“Even at the core of the news title na you won, represented the Philippines, brought honor to the country, and yet they still tell you that you are not worthy to be recognized.

“Maraming mga transwomen ang pinagkakaitan ng karapatan sa kani-kanilang bansa. Sinasabi nga nila na suwerte tayo dito sa Pilipinas, but hindi 'yun suwerte because we still experience inequality and discrimination.

"Up until the day we can be transwomen without any questions and without being mocked by people, that's the time I can say na ang sarap maging transwoman sa Pilipinas.”

Watch her coronation night below: