How did Dabawenyos vote for their leaders this 2025?

An infographic (Scroll from left to right, hover on each icon to see family links)

Davao City voted for lawyers, business owners, healthcare workers, and career government employees into its elective posts during this year’s midterm elections.

There are eight lawyers, six business owners, five healthcare workers, four government employees, and two broadcasters, based on the profiles of the candidates outside their political careers.

The lineup includes a certified public accountant, a development banker, an educator, and an engineer.

Before this year’s elections, most of the winners are incumbent councilors; 16 of them sought reelection.

These were:

First district councilors: Bonz Militar, Cookie Bonguyan, Luna Acosta, Pameng Librado, and Tek Ocampo;

Second district councilors: Al Ryan Alejandre, Che Che Justol, Danny Dayanghirang, Diosado Mahipus, Jr., and Louie John Bonguyan; and

Third district councilors: Alberto Ungab, Enzo Villafuerte, Myrna Dalodo Ortiz, Petite Principe, Trisha Ann Villafuerte, and Sweet Advincula.

Three of the recently elected officials were chiefs of staff of former councilors.

Meanwhile, the rest were former government employees, former congressional representatives, even a labor official deployed abroad.

Two elected officials are incumbent House representative and two incumbent barangay captains.

Davao City’s voters elected a former businessman, a former government official, a labor attaché, a former mayor, and a former vice mayor to local and congressional posts.

Among this year’s elected officials is former President Rodrigo Duterte, who took time off politics before he was brought to The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity.

Some of those elected have no previous experience in elective posts.

Three of those newly elected were chiefs of staff of their fathers.

Rodrigo Duterte II was a chief of staff of Representative Paolo Duterte, while Ragde Ibuyan and Jopet Baluran both served as chiefs of staff of former councilors Edgar Ibuyan Jr. and Conrado Baluran, respectively.

Previous posts prior to election (Non-councilors)

For the rest of the elected officials, in terms of previous posts prior to election, there are two barangay captains, three chiefs of staff, two returning House representatives, two government officials, a former mayor, a former president, and a former vice mayor.

Omar Duterte and Doce Apostol are incumbet barangay captains of Buhangin Proper and Panacan, respectively.

Two of the reelected officials are incumbent House representatives: Paolo Duterte and Isidro Ungab.

Arnolfo Cabling was the chair of the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), a government agency.

Rachel Zozobrado was formerly a labor attaché at the Department of Migrant Workers.

Sebastian Duterte is the outgoing mayor, while J. Melchor Quitain, Jr. is the outgoing vice mayor.

Rodrigo Duterte, the elected mayor, was former president.

Dynasty map

There are three Dutertes elected in Davao City’s local government (Rodrigo, Sebastian, and Rigo), and two in Congress (Paolo and Omar).

There are two Ungabs, one in Congress (Isidro Ungab) and another at the City Council (Alberto Ungab). 

There are two Bonguyans (Cookie and John Louie) and two Villafuertes (Enzo and Trisha Ann) elected to the City Council.

The icons below help map out the relationships among these candidates.

Age range

The average age of all elected officials is 47 years old. 

Ages of the elected officials range from 27 (Rodrigo Duterte II and Ragde Ibuyan) to 80 (former President Rodrigo Duterte). The latter was proclaimed mayor in absentia.

Most of the elected officials are males (20) and only 9 females.

The youngest among the elected female officials is Luna Acosta, 33, and the oldest is Myrna Dalodo Ortiz, 64.

With reports from Nova Mae Francas. Images from redacted Certificates of Candidacy from the Commission on Elections website; Ragde Ibuyan’s photo from his personal Facebook profile.