List of people from Davao

Culture

• Alfredo E. Evangelista - archeologist
• Candy Gourlay - Filipino author based in the United Kingdom
• Randy Halasan - winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for nurturing his Matigsalug students and their community to transform their lives in ways that preserve their integrity as indigenous peoples in a modernizing Philippines

Entertainment

• Sharmaine Arnaiz - actress
• Thor Dulay - singer-songwriter and vocal coach
• Jay Durias - composer, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer known for collaborations with South Border
• Juris Fernandez - singer and songwriter; former lead singer of acoustic group MYMP from 2003 to 2009
• Ruben Gonzaga - actor, comedian and Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition 2 Big Winner
• Erich Gonzales - actress, host and Star Circle Quest Grand Teen Questor
• The HiMiG Gospel Singers - a choral group from Davao City
• Mimi Miyagi - model and actress
• Iwa Moto - actress, model and teen star
• Cassandra Ponti - actress, dancer, model, and Pinoy Big Brother Season 1 3rd Big Placer
• Ryan Ramos - actor and host
• Steven Silva - Filipino American footballer from Team Socceroo FC in the UFL Second Division; actor, reality TV show contestant
• KZ Tandingan - singer who rose to fame after winning the first season of The X Factor Philippines in 2012
• Krissel Valdez - Filipina-Davaoena singer; the first runner-up of Star Power: Sharon Search For the Next Female Superstar

Politics and government

• Franklin Bautista - politician; member of the Liberal Party; elected to two terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the Second District of Davao del Sur
• Marc Douglas Cagas IV - politician; member of the Nacionalista Party; elected in 2007 as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the First District of Davao del Sur
• Antonio Carpio - incumbent Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
• Teodoro Casiño - politician, activist, writer and journalist; was a member of the House of Representatives for Bayan Muna
• Rodrigo Duterte - lawyer, politician and mayor of Davao City
• Sara Duterte - lawyer and politician; served as the Mayor of Davao City from June 30, 2010 until June 30, 2013 and was the first woman to hold the position
• Vincent Garcia - politician; member of the Nationalist People's Coalition; elected to three terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the Second District of Davao City
• Antonio Lagdameo, Jr. - politician; husband of actress Dawn Zulueta; a scion of the wealthy family in Mindanao, the Floirendos; public servant
• Romeo Montenegro - peace advocate
• Prospero Nograles - former Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
• Corazon Nuñez-Malanyaon - governor of the province of Davao Oriental
• Allan L. Rellon - Filipino politician and a member of the Liberal Party
• Isidro Ungab - politician, former banker, former local legislator of the City of Davao
• Manuel Zamora - politician; member of the LAKAS-CMD Party; elected to three terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the First District of Compostela Valley
• Carlos Isagani Zarate - member of the Philippine House of Representatives, representing Bayan Muna Party-list

Sports

• Amani Aguinaldo - footballer who plays as a defender mainly as a centre back for Global in the United Football League, and Philippines national team
• Francis Allera - professional basketball player; currently plays for the Kia Carnival in the Philippine Basketball Association; small forward
• Baser Amer - professional basketball player who plays for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association
• Mark Anthony Barriga - boxer from Panabo, Davao del Norte; competes in the light-flyweight division
• Donbel Belano - retired professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association; former head coach of the UV Green Lancers
• Lee Vann Corteza - professional pool player
• Samigue Eman - professional basketball player who currently plays for the Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association
• Erwin Emata - mountain climber
• Pong Escobal - professional basketball player who currently plays for the Air21 Express in the Philippine Basketball Association, having played for Meralco Bolts
• John Ferriols - professional basketball; plays for the Meralco Bolts in the Philippine Basketball Association
• Diosdado Gabi - retired professional boxer
• Marice Magdolot - international football player; midfielder
• Sheila Mae Perez - Olympic diver
• Randy Petalcorin - professional boxer from the Sandman Gym in General Santos
• Nesthy Petecio - boxer
• John Pinto - basketball player who currently plays for the San Miguel Beermen of the PBA; drafted 19th overall by the Batang Pier in the 2014 PBA draft
• RJ Rizada - professional basketball player who currently plays for the Petron Blaze Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association; twelfth overall pick in the 2006 PBA Draft
• Juanito Rubillar - professional boxer; current WBC Continental Americas light flyweight champion
• Tricia Santos - volleyball player; TV reality show contestant
• Daisuke Sato - Japanese-Filipino footballer; plays mainly as a forward for Global F.C. and as a defender for the Philippines national team
• Alfonso Solis - retired professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association
• Alvin Teng - retired professional basketball player who spent 14 seasons in the PBA, mostly with the San Miguel Beermen franchise
• Scottie Thompson - professional basketball player who currently plays for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel of the PBA
• Rustico Torrecampo - retired professional boxer, notable for being the first fighter to defeat Manny Pacquiao

Media

• Aljo Bendijo - a broadcast journalist in the Philippines; anchored ABS-CBN's flagship newscast TV Patrol from 2001 to 2003, and Batingaw (later becoming Teledyaryo: Final Edition) of People's Television Network from 2008 to 2012
• Desidario Camangyan - radio journalist for Sunrise FM in Mati City in the southern Philippines; slain on stage in Manay, Davao Oriental, Mindanao, while hosting a singing contest
• Stanley Palisada - journalist and television news anchor working for ABS-CBN and the ANC
• Alex Santos - field reporter, news director and radio commentator for DWIZ, former newscaster and television host for ABS-CBN and DZMM

Fashion, designs and arts

• Ang Kiukok - painter; national artist
• Yam Laranas - director and cinematographer
• Danny Sillada - surrealist painter, poet, philosopher, essayist, musician, performance artist and literary, art and cultural critic; from Mindanao

Pageants

• Marc Ernest Biala - Mr. Gay World Philippines 2011; represented the Philippines in the 2011 international competition held in Club Mwah, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
• Lia Andrea Ramos - representative of the Philippines in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant held in Los Angeles, California

Religion

• Apollo Quiboloy - founder and leader of the Philippines-based Restorationist church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name, Inc.
• Leo Soriano - a Bishop of the United Methodist Church, elected in 2000 in the Philippines
• Michael John U. Teh - the second Filipino to serve as a general authority in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)