Jake Zyrus considering sex reassignment surgery

Jake Zyrus, formerly known as Charice Pempengco, has said that he will consider sexual reassignment surgery soon to complete his journey as a man.

"Someday. Pinag-usapan na namin yan. Para sa akin, para complete yung mararamdaman ko as a man, s'yempre I'll consider that," said Zyrus during an exclusive interview on "Tonight With Boy Abunda" on ABS CBN.

Zyrus made his public appearance after he changed his screen name from Charice Pempengco.

"Screen name ko lang po yun. Alam naman po natin yung proseso sa atin pero screen name ko lang po ito," he said.

Zyrus narrated how the screen name Jake Zyrus came to be.

"Yung pagpili ng pangalan, parang nakaharap lang po ako sa salamin. Tapos ang dami-dami kong binabanggit na pangalan. Nung binanggit ko po yung pangalan na yun, kinilig ako eh," he laughed.

"Para kasing na imagine ko po yung future ko, na imagine ko po na nagpe perform ako sa stage na yun ang gamit kong pangalan, na imagine ko po na sumisigaw yung mga fans na yun ang pangalan na ginagamit nila," Zyrus added.

From a lesbian to a transgender man, Zyrus said the his family supported his quest to be a total man.

"Medyo mas challenging kesa sa unang moment na nagkita po tayo nung sinabi ko po sa mundo na lesbian ako. Finally, eto na at gagawin ko na ito. Finally I feel complete.

"Lagi naman pong sinabi ng mommy ko na nandyan lang po sya. And again, lagi ko rin naman pong sasabihin na mahal ko sila kahit na iba ibang news yung makita nila or kahit na ano man ang sabihin ng lola ko, at the end of the day, we are still a family.

"I love them. I love you guys. I know that someday, no matter what, makikita rin ng lola ko 'yung happiness na nararamdaman ko," Zyrus added.

Reacting to his grandmother who was very critical of his decision, Zyrus said: "Kung ano man poyung sinabi nila, kung ano man yunhg nabitawang salita ng lola ko sa akin, tinatanggap ko po yun dahil mahal ko po sila."

Zyrus also addressed his critics on his major decision in life.

"Hindi ko naman ito ginawa or nagdesisyon para sa kanila. Nagdesisyon po ako dahil una sa lahat napaka importante po sa ating lahat na masaya tayo sa sarili natin.

"Pangalawa ginagawa ko po ito para sa mga taong hindi kayang gawin pa. Gusto ko pong maging inspirasyon sa kanila na sila yung isa sa dahilan kung bakit naglalakas loob dun po ako na gawin lahat ito dahil gusto ko pong malaman nila na hindi sila nag-iisa na kung kinaya ko, kakayanin din po nila," Zyrus said.

Dubbed by Oprah Winfrey as the "most talented girl in the world," Pempengco made history when she became the first Filipino singer and Asian artist to enter the Top 10 of the Billboard Chart Hot 200 albums in 2010. Her international studio album "Charice" peaked at No. 8.

Her song "Pyramid," a duet with Iyaz and lifted from the same album, also made the Hot 100 chart.

Pempengco's second international album was "Infinity" released in 2011. On the same year, she also appeared in Season 2 of the hit American musical-drama-comedy television series "Glee." - ROBERT REQUINTINA/TEMPO