The Philippines’ bet, Mela Franco Habijan, has won the inaugural edition of Miss Trans Global 2020 held online amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.

Habijan bested candidates from all over the world to win the crown for the Philippines during the grand coronation night streamed via YouTube on September 12, 2020.

The former ABS-CBN writer and actress also bagged other major awards such as “Eloquent Queen of the Year,” “Super Model of the Year,” and “Glam Beauty of the Year.”

Here are the winners of the inaugural edition of Miss Trans Global:

Miss Trans Global 2020 – Philippines
1st Runner-up – Australia
2nd Runner-up – Ghana
3rd Runner-up – South Africa
4th Runner-up – Sweden
“PILIPINASSSS, WE WON! WE WONNNNNNN!!!” the Transpinay pageant winner said on her Facebook post. “WE ARE THE FIRST-EVER MISS TRANS GLOBALLLLL! LORDDDDD!!! MARAMING, MARAMING SALAMAT POOOOO!!! NOT YOUR TYPICAL CROWNING MOMENT, BUT I’M HAPPY TO BE HOLDING THE HANDS OF THE BEST PEOPLE IN MY LIFE!”

In a follow up social media post, Habijan expressed her gratitude to all those who supported her in her pageant journey up to now that she becomes the voice for the LGBTQ+ community for human rights and equality.

“My heart is grateful for the messages of love that I have been receiving from everyone! Maraming, maraming salamat sa inyo! Inspirasyon ko kayong lahat,” she said.

“While going through the competition, I only had one thing in mind: ‘To represent the Philippines in the best way I can,'” Mela recalled. “I really wanted to make every Filipino proud and be worthy of carrying our flag. Having this motivation made me put my heart and soul to every single challenge.”

She went on: “Though the journey was tough because it was a digital pageant in the middle of the pandemic, the fire in my heart was ignited by my family, friends, and supporters who firmly held my hand and believed that I could make it to the top.”

The international pageant titleholder also dedicated her success her fellow transgender and the Filipino people.

“While there are a number of people who look down and laugh at us for being trans, I will always stand tall for my trans community,” she said. “I will always try my best to represent them well. And I will always live by my beautiful purpose: to never give up, to never be bothered, and to never get tired of making my family, my friends, my country, and my God proud!”

“Mabuhay tayo, Pilipinas! Patuloy nating itataas ang ating bandera!” Habijan concluded.

By fulfilling her childhood dreams through Miss Trans Global 2020, Mela Franco Habijan joined the roster of Filipinos from LGBTQ+ community who brought pride and glory to the Philippines.

Ormoc City’s Jess Labares made it to the Top 6 finalists and bagged the Miss Photogenic award at the Miss International Queen pageant held in Thailand in March 2020.

John Jeffrey “Janjep’ Carlos of General Trias, Cavite won Mr. Gay World crown in South Africa in May 2019, which duplicated the feat of John Raspado when he bagged the same title in 2017 in Spain.