List of people from Davao

Culture

• Alfredo E. Evangelista - archeologist
• Candy Gourlay - Filipino author based in the United Kingdom
• Randy Halasan - winner of the 2014 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership, 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 - footballer, 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 - singer; the first runner-up of Star Power: Sharon Search For the Next Female Superstar
• Maris Racal - actress, singer, PBB All in 1st runner up, member of It's Showtime's GirlTrends
• Tom Doromal - ex-PBB housemate, member of It's Showtime's Hashtags

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 (1988-1998, 2001-2010, 2013-2016); 16th President of the Philippines (2016-present)
• Sara Duterte - lawyer and politician; current mayor of Davao City (2010-2013, since 2016), 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
• Wanda Tulfo-Teo, businesswoman, and current secretary of Tourism
• 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 F.C. 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 - footballer for the Philippines women's national football team; midfielder
• Sheila Mae Perez - diver; Southeast Asian Games gold medalist.
• 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 for CSM Politehnica Iași in Romania's Liga I and for the Philippines national football 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, and television host for UNTV and former newscaster and television host for ABS-CBN and DZMM
• Tulfo Brothers
  • Ben Tulfo - freelance journalist connected with TV5, PTV-4 and UNTV
  • Erwin Tulfo - journalist for TV5 Manila, formerly with ABS-CBN, RPN-9 and Radio Mindanao Network
  • Raffy Tulfo- journalist for TV5 Manila, formerly with PTV-4, RPN-9 and Radio Mindanao Network
  • Ramon "Kuya Mon" Tulfo - radio host for DWIZ, columnist for Philippine Daily Inquirer, formerly with RPN-9 and DZIQ

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
• Randolph Val Digal Palma - Mr. Gay World Philippines 2014; represented the Philippines in the 2014 international competition held in Rome, Italy. He placed in the Top 10 (6th place overall).

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)