Phil Manansala

Phil Manansala is the guitarist in American alternative metal band Of Mice and Men (OM&M). In 2013, the band won the Kerrang! Award for Best International Newcomer and in 2014 Manansala was voted best guitarist by the Alternative Press Music Awards.

Of Mice and Men have released seven studio albums since their formation in 2009, they have played huge international festivals and have shared the stage with bands such as Slipknot, Rise Against and In Flames. Their 2014 album, Restoring Force, reached number one in the Independent Billboard Album charts.

Manansala began his vegan journey in 2016 although he wasn’t yet ready to call himself a vegan.¹Giliver, L. 2020. ‘Of Mice And Men’ Guitarist Philip Manansala Asks Followers To Try Vegan Diet In 2021. Available: https://plantbasednews.org/news/celebrities/philip-manansala-asks-followers-to-try-vegan-diet/ [Accessed 3 February 2022].

Manansala grew up eating a standard American diet, refusing to eat veggies, but challenged by his wife, he decided to go plant-based. Although he found it difficult to initially acclimatise to his new dietary plan, he found some go-to recipes which helped his transition. He soon noticed the health benefits, and his love for animals also went through the roof, in part thanks to his dog companion. After six years of being vegan, Manansala states his love for animals as his motivating factor for staying vegan – alongside his love of food.

At the end of December 2020, Manansala turned to Twitter to dare people to go vegan for a month in time for Veganuary.

I smell barbeques going on and it smells good but I think I would never eat that because that poor animal … even though you want something… you have to have more self control over yourself… yeah it smells good but at the same time I think more of it …. that poor animal, if someone cut my leg off and made a steak I’d be mad as hell.” – from the Viva! Vegan Podcast.

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