The freedom to fully express one's identity without fear of judgement is the fruit of years of fighting for equal rights and representation, and every June, we celebrate how far we've come with LGBTQIA+ Pride month.

It takes courage to embrace your truth and tell your story to the world. That's why it's important to put the spotlight on those who have already found the courage and confidence to flaunt their pride, so that they can inspire others to do the same — just like these strong women.

Mela Habijan Miss Trans Global 2020


Mela’s journey to womanhood began with her hair. After years of wearing synthetic wigs or putting a bath towel over her head, she finally let her hair grow long. “At first, I tried to joke about it, “Ma, pagbigyan mo na ako! Rocker na ako ngayon!” She shared on her Instagram post. As time went by, she realized that having straight, smooth, and jet black hair felt right. “I was meant to rock my hair with confidence.”

She found pride in her crowning glory and made sure to give it the proper care it needed. “… Everytime people complimented my hair, my honest, consistent, and confident reply has always been, “Alagang Pantene yan!”, Mela proudly shared in her Instagram post. “I have always flaunted my hair with pride because [it] reflects my journey to being the free and authentic Mela that I am today. As a proud trans woman with feminine expression, my hair has been my source of power. And that’s definitely Salontastic!”

Chezka Carandang, Pilot


“As a member and supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, I, too have my own journey in raising my voice for my happiness and myself.” Chezka shared on her Instagram.

Chezka, like many others, was afraid of how her family and friends would react to her identity. So, she joined predominantly female activities like modelling and beauty pageants as she tried to figure out how she wanted to present herself. Later on she realized that she wanted to express herself physically as a woman, “…and that’s why I started growing my long straight hair with Pantene. Because Pantene has always been there in helping me feel stronger and Salontastic! Flaunt your #Pride with Pantene. I’m truly thankful for my community in helping me understand them and myself. Know that you are not alone and that we are heard.”


Allies also play a role in helping make the LGBTQIA+ community a safe space by fostering a culture of acceptance and respect, and advocating for equal rights and opportunities.

Gabbi Garcia, Actress


Gabbi, an ally, shows her full support for the LGBTQIA+ community in her Instagram post. “I’ve always been a proud supporter ever since I was young. I believe that everyone should be treated with love and respect. There is definitely no room for hate in this world! Everyone can be Salontastic regardless of gender!”

Let your hair take pride and flaunt it with Pantene Miracle Conditioners. With Pantene Keratin Straight Miracle Conditioner you can help reduce frizz for that sleek, straight look. While with Pantene Collagen Miracle Conditioner, you can turn dry, frizzy hair into shiny, Salontastic hair.*

Both conditioners are formulated with a blend of Pro-Vitamin B5, with special ingredients like Miracle Serum, real Collagen, and Keratin straighteners that moisturize hair and help strengthen hair against damage* to give you everyday #Salontastic results.

Take pride in your hair and get that #SalontasticTransformation with Pantene. Explore more from Pantene’s wide range of haircare products through the P&G Shopee Mall store.









Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI)—the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country—aims to secure Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) from SociĂ©tĂ© GĂ©nĂ©rale de Surveillance (SGS), one of the world’s leading audit and certification companies.

PCPPI bagged FSSC for its Muntinlupa, Santo Tomas, Rosario, Davao and Bacolod plants. It is working towards certifying its other six plants in Cebu City, Naga City, Zamboanga City, Cagayan de Oro City, Iloilo City, and Tanauan within the year.

“It is imperative to strengthen our food safety practices and standards which we have always valued in PCCPI. We always aim to produce quality products that do not just comply with regulatory requirements but exceed customer expectations, as well,” said PCPPI President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick Ong.

The company’s certification aligns with World Health Organization’s goals as it marks this month’s World Food Safety Day. This year’s theme is “Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow.”

The company follows stringent measures on food safety and quality. Its policy requires high food safety targets, regular process reviews, and strong food safety culture across all levels in the organization.

To further ensure quality production, PCPPI aligns with PepsiCo global practices. These include random trade sampling to verify food safety compliance and increasing food hygiene awareness among stakeholders.

Owing to its strict food safety practices, PCPPI’s Zamboanga plant was recently given the PepsiCo Caleb Bradham Award. The distinction is presented to Pepsi manufacturing plants which exhibit exemplary food safety and quality assurance practices.

“PCPPI believes that a strong food safety culture helps us promote food hygiene outside our operations. Our consumers will remain confident in our brands and in our ability to refresh them with clean and safe drinks,” Ong added.




With the threat of the pandemic still very much present in the country, a simple cough is enough to cause heightened anxiety these days because it is one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19. Unlike before where this matter was usually taken lightly by most, the current situation has people rushing to find a solution when the first signs of a cough arise.

Coughs are our bodies’ natural response to expel unwanted organisms from our lungs caused by allergies, irritants, asthma, and the most common of all, viruses. Although coughs caused by common viruses go away in time, it's better to treat them as soon as possible and equip our bodies with added immunity for faster recovery.

In the Philippines, only one cough medicine combines the trusted formulation of Solmux with an essential mineral for faster recovery: Solmux Advance, the only one with Zinc! This unique and powerful combination of Carbocisteine and Zinc is proven effective to reduce cough bouts in as fast as 3 days, compared to the usual 10 to 14 days of recovery. The addition of Zinc to Carbocisteine not only liquifies sticky phlegm, but also improves the body’s immunity for faster recovery from cough.

Carbocisteine is scientifically proven to treat cough with phlegm and other respiratory tract disorders, and have properties that inhibit viruses and bacteria, making it more difficult for microorganisms to cause infections. The right levels of Zinc, on the other hand, can help speed up recovery from infections like the common cold through its action on immunity. It also activates white blood cells to help the body fight off viruses including coronaviruses.

Given the continued increase in COVID-19 cases every day plus the occurrence of other viral respiratory infections, Filipinos can protect themselves and their loved ones with a more advanced 2-in-1 solution for faster cough relief.







Torn between preparing a nice meal for the family but not enough time to start from scratch? Don’t worry! You can now spend more time with the family and less time in the kitchen with new ready-to-heat Pork Katsu, Chicken Katsu, and Spicy Chicken Nuggets from Purefoods!




How does “tonkatsu meal for the family in just 8 minutes” sound like? Now, you can enjoy the crispness and juiciness of Pork and Chicken Katsu and experience Japanese cuisine right in the convenience of your home! Just pop frozen in the oven for 8 minutes or fry for 2-3 minutes.

Level up the katsu experience resto-style with these Eats-so-easy ideas!

One, serve katsu with some thinly shredded cabbage and sesame dressing, crushed toasted sesame seeds mixed with the free packet of katsu sauce. and a lemon slice to garnish.



Two, whip up an easy curry sauce with Japanese curry paste, coconut milk, diced potatoes and carrots and drizzle on katsu.



And third, go All American-inspired and serve katsu with BBQ seasoned French fries and ketchup or sour cream-bleu cheese sauce.



For more recipes, you can visit homefoodie.com and its social media platforms @HomeFoodiePH

Purefoods Pork Katsu, Chicken Katsu, and Spicy Chicken Nuggets are available in leading supermarkets nationwide.





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