Jake Zyrus

Jake Zyrus (known as Charice Pempengco prior to his gender transition) was born in Cabuyao, Philippines. When he was three years old, he witnessed his abusive father point a gun at his mom during an episode of domestic violence. Along with his mother and younger brother Carl, they left their father in search of a better life.

At the age of seven, with money hard to come by and with little food to put on the table, Zyrus urged his mother to teach...