DAVAO City is not just popular for its cultural diversity and bustling economic industries, but also for its people who made a huge contribution that shaped the contemporary landscape of the Philippine culture, media, and even politics.
Take a look at these notable public figures and celebrities who have established their identities in the national and global scene.
Rodrigo Roa Duterte
Popularly referred to as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a politician and attorney from Davao City who led the country as its 16th president from 2016 to 2022. During his presidency, the PDP-Laban was the ruling political party in the Philippines, and he served as its chairperson.
Duterte’s family moved to Davao when he was still young, where his father, Vicente Duterte, held the position of provincial governor. After completing his studies in political science at the Lyceum of the Philippines University in 1968, he went on to San Beda College of Law to earn his legal degree in 1972. After that, he practiced law and served as a prosecutor in Davao City.
He ran the city for more than 22 years as mayor, bringing peace and investment to the once-sleepy city. Currently, the oldest person to be elected into the presidency and the first president of the Philippines to be a native of Mindanao.
Sara Duterte
Sara Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio, more known by the Filipino people as “Inday Sara,” is a Filipino lawyer and politician who serves as the 15th and the youngest vice president of the Philippines.
Duterte, the daughter of the 16th president, Rodrigo Duterte, graduated from San Pedro College in 1999 with a degree in BS Respiratory Therapy as she was aiming to have a career in the medical field. She later on took up a law degree and passed the Philippine Bar Examination in 2005.
Gladys Reyes
Gladys Reyes-Sommereux is a Filipino actress, television presenter, entrepreneur, and comedian. Following her Little Miss Philippines stint in 1984, Reyes earned her fame after playing “Clara”, the lead villainess from the classic television series Mara Clara.
Boy Logro
Pablo Logro, popularly known as Boy Logro or Chef Boy, was born on June 29, 1954, and is a well-known Filipino celebrity chef who has been featured in two cooking shows: Chef Boy Logro: Kusina Master and Idol sa Kusina.
Mary Jean Lastimosa
Mary Jean "MJ" Ramirez Lastimosa is a Filipina beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2014 and represented the Philippines at the Miss Universe 2014 pageant where she finished as a top 10 semifinalist.
This Filipina celebrity was born to a Saudi father and a Filipino mother. She finished her Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering with honors at the University of Mindanao in Davao City. Lastimosa won Mutya ng Dabaw and was crowned Reyna ng Aliwan in 2008 representing Davao and the Kadayawan Festival.
Chokoleit
The legendary comedian, Jonathan Aguilar Garcia was born on June 25, 1972. He graduated with a Mass Communications degree at Ateneo de Davao University.
Prior to his fame in the entertainment industry, Chokoleit was a regular in comedy bars. One of his biggest breaks was when he joined top-rating ABS-CBN’s telefantaserye Marina way back in 2004 as Pearly Shells.
On March 9, 2019, at the age of 48, Chokoleit passed away due to a heart attack.
Juliana Palermo
Alvy July Juanico in real life is one of the Philippines’ hottest celebrities of her era. This sexy star is in fact, one of Davao’s Hiyas sa Kadayawan Queen and once became part of Davao Region’s Tourism department.
Palermo rose to fame in 2003. She was known for her roles in movies such as Panaghoy sa Suba: The Call of the River (2004), Summer Heat (2006), Xerox (2006), to name a few.
Her most controversial film to date was www.XXX.com (2003).
Ruben Gonzaga
Ruben is a low-key celebrity in Davao City. He is the first-ever male winner of Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) after winning the PBB: Celebrity Edition 2 last 2008.
Known for his comedic talent, Ruben became a regular host of his Show: Agri-Tayo Dito for the ABS-CBN Regional stations produced by ABS-CBN Davao from 2012 to 2018.
These are some of the celebrities Davao City has produced. But then there’s more and there will be more. DEF