Life often throws us curve balls, but these inspiring Filipinos – a hairstylist, rapper, scientist, artist, and teacher— prove that there is hope amid adversity and that the human spirit can triumph despite conflicts and stuggles . Watch their stories and more on the ABS-CBN DocuCentral documentary series “Mukha,” which airs every Wednesday at 6:30 pm on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel.

1. The father who found his passion in hairstyling

Jiro Kinoyama never knew his Japanese father, and his mother worked abroad his whole life. He lived with relatives until they couldn’t afford to shelter him, and learned to depend only on himself by taking on various blue-collar jobs. He stumbled upon hairstyling by chance, thanks to a random opportunity to learn the tools of the trade. He gradually realized this was what he loved doing. Now a father of two, Jiro hopes to support his family and excel further in his newfound passion. Watch his story this Wednesday (August 15) at 6:30 pm.

2. The gangster turned rapper and advocate

Factions, riots, gang wars were part of daily life for Shielbert Manuel or “OG Sacred” until the former gang leader from Tondo, Manila, discovered rap music. Shielbert discovered he could use the medium to change the culture of gangs and change the narrative of his hometown. He now passionately promotes Tondo as a safe place with a wealth of culture and stories, and leads former gang-rivals and members in being advocates for the environment, better living conditions, and keeping Tondo safe for the new generation of youths.

3. The man who found the balance between art and science

Engineer Julius Sempio is one of the scientists responsible for archiving and interpreting images from Diwata-1, the Philippines’ first satellite. However, his heart hasn’t always been in science—his first love was comics, despite going to the prestigious Philippine Science High School and pursuing engineering at the University of the Philippines.  Along the way, he finally found a way to balance art and science, and now gets to pursue both fields, while giving back to the country he vows to never leave.

4. The stained-glass artist

Nelben Salvado never had high hopes for himself, despite his father urging him to dream big. However, what he lacked in ambition, he made up for in hard work. After becoming a family man at a young age, Nelben followed in his father’s footsteps and entered the glass-cutting trade, where he strived to learn the skill and eventually excelled on it. Despite his internal battles and hardships, like his wife abandoning him and their children, and his father suffering from stroke, he continues to be devoted in his craft with the unwavering belief that someday, the fruits of his labor will be within his reach.

5. The woman who proved “there is life after blindness”

Jo Olorocisimo had a promising career as a writer for a media company until she learned she had glaucoma, and would one day lose her vision completely. However, she refused to sit back and become a victim to circumstance. She found a way to continue to work, thanks to technology, and became a beacon of hope to people with similar seeing impairments. Jo may have lost her vision, but found a heart for others, as she now works to educate the visually-impaired in the hopes of someday making the workplace welcoming to people despite their disabilities.

Don’t miss the riveting tales of struggle and triumph of the human spirit behind the different faces of the Filipino on “Mukha,” which has won numerous awards locally and internationally including a gold medal at the New York Festival for its Marawi Siege episode “Di Ka Pasisiil.”

Watch “Mukha” every Wednesday 6:30 pm on ANC and ANC HD with replays on Mondays, 4:30 pm; Tuesdays, 4 am; Wednesdays, 10:30 pm; Thursdays, 1:30 am & 2:30 pm; Friday, 1:30 pm; Saturdays, 5 am; Sundays, 5:30 am & 5:30 pm; and on DZMM: Fridays, 2 pm; and Saturdays, 1 am. Watch online on iwantv.com.ph or skyondemand.com.ph. For updates on the series, follow @ANCalerts on Facebook or Twitter or the program’s official account @MukhaTV on Facebook and Twitter. For more updates follow @abscbnpr on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram or visit www.abscbnpr.com.