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Trans advocate finds joy by living her truths

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Barbie Salvador-Muhlach

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/06/30/20190630-mela-habijan.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Mela Habijan. Photo provided by author</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Mela Habijan has only been around for almost 24 months. But she is actually 32 years old. In the three decades that went before, she lived as Erick -- the name and person she was born with. In celebration of Pride Month this June, I sat down with the budding transwoman who found and gave birth to her own self. Habijan’s awakening took place on the grounds of ABS-CBN when she, as Erick, was a writer for an entertainment show. Back then, she knew she was gay and always had an inclination for anything feminine. But she had no concept of what a transgender is. It was not until she saw the journey of her friends who were transitioning that she realized she may be like them. “Bakit ang saya-saya nila? Parang damang-dama nila ang pagka-totoo nila sa sarili nila (Why are they so happy? It’s like they are so immersed in their feelings about being true to themselves),” she questioned.The turning point was in 2014 when Habijan joined a beauty contest at the work place. It was there when she first saw her manifestation as a woman. “Ang nasabi ko lang sa sarili ko, ang ganda mo (All I could tell myself was, you are beautiful).”The pageant was a realization of a dream -- to become a beauty queen which Habijan kept in her heart of hearts since she was just 4 years old. And looking at herself in the mirror that night, everything felt right. “I felt so comfortable. That night, I just enjoyed everything.”But Habijan had work to do. Before she could forge ahead with this new persona, she needed to know if this was her truth indeed. So she packed her bags with dresses and makeup and left for Hong Kong where she tried to live as a woman for four days. That period was the conception of “Mela.” She needed try it, to feel it, to verify it for herself, because she knew that perhaps when she finally gets the answers to her burning questions about her gender identity, there would be no turning back. As fate would have it, Mela was indeed her real self. And she needed to come out. So on the lead up to her 30th birthday, Habijan wrote her parents a letter to tell them her truth. Armed with prayers for acceptance, she owned up to her new reality and told them that she now wants to live her life as a woman. Luckily, they understood. “If you think you’ll be a better person as a woman, go live your life,” Habijan’s father said. <div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/06/30/20190630-mela-habijan-fb-post.jpg?ext=.jpg"/></figure></div>And with the blessing of her parents, Mela celebrated Erick’s 30th birthday on July 11, 2017. Except that Erick was no longer Erick. Erick is now Mela. And while she loved Erick dearly, it was time to bring Mela’s true self out. Catch the full and casual interview of Mela Habijan on the author&#x27;s <a href="http://bit.ly/barbiemuhlach">YouTube channel</a>.

Mela Habijan has only been around for almost 24 months. But she is actually 32 years old.

Mela Habijan has only been around for almost 24 months. But she is actually 32 years old.