The following is a list of people born or associated with Iloilo and Iloilo City.
Arts, literature, and entertainment
Beauty pageants Angelia Ong – Miss Earth 2015 winner Anjanette Abayari – Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1991 winner Pura Villanueva Kalaw – first Manila Carnival queen in 1908 Rabiya Occeña Sundall Mateo – Miss Universe Philippines 2020 winner Alexie Brooks - Miss Eco International 2025 Winner
Film Nick Deocampo – film director, film historian Peter Solis Nery – film director, actor, producer, writer; Gugma sa Panahon sang Bakunawa (2012)
Literature Gilbert Luis R. Centina III – Palanca awardee Leoncio P. Deriada – Ilonggo Palanca awardee Magdalena Jalandoni – Hiligaynon poet, National Cultural awardee for Literature Ramon Muzones – National Artist for Literature. Stevan Javellana – Ilonggo writer Peter Solis Nery – Ilonggo Palanca Awards Hall of Fame awardee; first Filipino author invited to the Sharjah International Book Fair Guillermo Gómez Rivera – Ilonggo writer Miguel Syjuco – winner of 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize
Performing arts
Music Emman Abatayo – singer, songwriter, Pinoy Dream Academy Season 1 scholar Jose Mari Chan – singer, songwriter Vehnee Saturno – record producer Nina Girado – singer Jed Madela – singer, songwriter Ruben Tagalog – Kundiman singer Young JV – singer, actor, model, and dancer Jhett Tolentino – singer, Grammy and Tony-award winning theatrical producer beabadoobee – indie pop rock singer-songwriter and guitarist
TV and movie personalities Allan K. - actor, comedian, host, singer and businessman. Carla Abellana – actress, model, TV host and personality John Arcilla – actor Sharmaine Arnaiz – actress Claudine Barretto – actress Gretchen Barretto – actress Billy Crawford – actor, model, singer, TV host and personality Dingdong Dantes – actor, model Charlie Davao – actor Sunshine Dizon – actress, model Gabb Drilon – actor Anita Linda – actress Ike Lozada – actor Edu Manzano – TV host, actor Luis Manzano – actor, model, TV host and personality Pokwang – actress, comedian Delia Razon – actress Paul Salas – actor Myrtle Sarrosa – Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition 4 Big Winner Arthur Solinap – actor Prince Stefan (actor) – actor, model, and dancer Joy Viado – actress, comedian Marita Zobel – actress Dawn Zulueta – actress Seham Daghlas – former Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10 adult housemate
Mass communications Billy Balbastro – radio broadcaster Karen Davila – main news anchor on the ABS-CBN News Channel programmers TV Patrol and Headstart with Karen Davila
Visual arts Romeo Villalva Tabuena – Filipino painter and printmaker Iain Macnab and Chica Macnab The Scottish artists who were both born in Iloilo
Business Alfonso A. Uy – first President of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry from Visayas and Mindanao Eugenio Lopez, Sr. – former Chairman of the Lopez Group of Companies Eugenio Lopez, Jr. – former Chairman Emeritus of ABS-CBN Eugenio Lopez III – the 3rd generation Eugenio of the Lopez family; present Chairman of ABS-CBN Edgar Sia – founder of Mang Inasal and DoubleDragon Corporation Jonha Richman – investor and dubbed by Rappler as one of the 'most inspiring Filipino entrepreneurs'
Education Jose Cabalum, Sr. – educator William Valentine – American Protestant missionary and educator; founded Central Philippine University, the second American university in Asia
Government service
Executive service Teofisto Guingona, Jr. – former Senator and Vice President of the Philippines Fernando López – former Senator, Vice President of the Philippines, and Mayor of Iloilo City Amelita Ramos – former First Lady of the Philippines; wife of former President Fidel Ramos Liza Araneta Marcos – First Lady of the Philippines; wife of President Bongbong Marcos
Judiciary Ramón Avanceña – former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and Vice President Carolina Griño-Aquino – former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Rank 1st 1950 Philippine Bar Examinations Gregorio Perfecto – former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Florenz Regalado – former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and record holder for the highest average in the Philippine Bar Examinations, with his 1954 mark of 96.7% Francis Jardeleza – former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and Solicitor General of the Philippines Raul M. Gonzalez – former Secretary of Justice Gregorio S. Araneta – former Secretary of Finance and Justice, Attorney General of the Philippines, and Solicitor General of the Philippines
Legislators
Senators Tomas Confesor – Senator served in the 2nd Commonwealth Congress or 1st Congress of the Philippines, elected ranked 6th in the 1946 national elections, former Governor of Iloilo José María Arroyo – Senator from the Seventh Senatorial District Jose Hontiveros – Senator of the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Risa Hontiveros – Senator 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th Congress; House Representative for Akbayan 13th 14th Congress Francisco Felipe Villanueva – Visayan delegate to the Malolos Congress, Senate majority floor leader during the Fourth Legislature in 1916–1919 Nikki Coseteng – Senator, 8th Congress Miriam Defensor Santiago – Senator, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th Congress Franklin Drilon – Senator, 10th, 11th (Senate President), 12th (Senate President), 13th (Senate President), 15th, 16th (Senate President), and 17th (Senate President pro tempore) Congress Teofisto Guingona, Sr. – Senator, 4th Philippine Legislature Grace Poe-Llamanzares – Senator, 16th Congress of the Philippines Manuel Villar – Senator, 12th, 13th (Senate President), 14th (Senate President), 15th Congress Jose Zulueta – Senator and Senate President, 2nd Congress
House Representatives
Niel Tupas Jr. – former House Representatives of the 5th district of Iloilo Ferjenel Biron – former House Representatives of the 4th district of Iloilo Janette Garin – incumbent House Representatives of the 4th district of Iloilo, former Secretary of Health Richard Garin – former House Representatives of the 1st district of Iloilo and Vice Governor of Iloilo Judy Syjuco – former House Representatives of the 2nd district of Iloilo Julienne Baronda – incumbent House Representatives of the lone district of Iloilo City
Local Government
Niel Tupas Sr. – former Governor of Iloilo and House Representatives of the 5th district of Iloilo Arthur Defensor Sr. – former Governor of Iloilo and House Representatives of the 3rd district of Iloilo Arthur Defensor Jr. – incumbent Governor of Iloilo, former House Representatives of the 3rd district of Iloilo Isko Moreno – 27th Mayor of Manila and actor whose father originally hail from San Joaquin, Iloilo Jerry Treñas – incumbent Mayor of Iloilo City Jed Patrick Mabilog – former Mayor of Iloilo City
Military service Vicente Piccio, Jr. – former chief of the Philippine Air Force Ramona Go – First Female Brigadier General
Civil service
Resurreccion Borra – COMELEC Commissioner
Social sciences F. Landa Jocano – anthropologist and historian; documented the epic Hinilawod of the Panay Bukidnon of Iloilo Alicia P. Magos – anthropologist and historian; published and documented the culture of Western Visayas, especially the Panay Bukidnon
Innovators and scientists Alexis Belonio – engineer, inventor and winner of Rolex Award for Enterprise in 2008 Josette Biyo – Intel Excellence for Teaching awardee in 2002; an asteroid was named after her, 13241 Biyo Magdalena Villaruz, inventor Mariano Yogore, Jr, MD, PHD, MPH – accomplished Scientist at major universities. Senior author and co-author in about 50 scientific publications, and published a number of books. Published in Library of Congress
Religious service Fernando Capalla – present Archbishop of Davao Eduardo Hontiveros – Filipino Jesuit composer and musician Angel Lagdameo – 5th Archbishop of Jaro and former President of Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Antonio Ledesma – Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro Jose S. Palma – present Archbishop of Cebu and President of Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Alberto Jover Piamonte – 4th Archbishop of Jaro Jaime Sin – 9th Archbishop of Jaro and 30th Archbishop of Manila Mother Rosario Arroyo de la Visitacion - Servant of God, founder Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines
Revolutionaries and war heroes Juan Araneta – led the Negros Revolution Ludovico Arroyo Bañas – World War II veteran, pioneer in Philippine telecommunications Jose Calugas – World War II Medal of Honor awardee Martin Teofilo Delgado – revolutionary hero, soldier, politician Adriano Hernandez – leader of the "Cry of Lincud", the first armed uprising for independence in the province of Iloilo Graciano Lopez Jaena – revolutionary hero, writer, editor, orator, and journalist, founder of La Solidaridad Aniceto Lacson – led the Negros Revolution Teresa Magbanua – the Joan of Arc of the Visayas Patrocinio Gamboa – revolutionary heroine, brought the Philippine flag to Sta. Barbara, where it was first raised outside the capital.
Sports Paulino Alcántara – international football player who played for FC Barcelona Ian Araneta – member of Philippine Azkals Kurt Bachmann – basketball player Ken Bono – PBA player Emelio Caligdong – Vice Captain of Philippine Azkals and 2012 The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardee Anjo Caram – PBA player, former NCAA basketball player for San Beda Red Lions Denver Cuello – current WBC International minimumweight champion Kenneth Duremdes – PBA player Rudy Fernandez – amputee triathlete Emmanuel "Emman" Monfort – PBA player, former UAAP basketball player for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, former Ateneo de Iloilo-SMCS player Ateneo Blue Dragons Bong Ravena – PBA player Kiefer Ravena – UAAP basketball player for the Ateneo Blue Eagles Masunoyama Tomoharu – sumo wrestler Eugenio Torre – first Filipino and Asian Grandmaster Ronald Tubid – PBA player James Yap – PBA player, former ICCHS or Huasiong basketball player Wesley So – chess prodigy; youngest Filipino chess grandmaster Manuel Araneta Jr. – basketball player in 1948 Summer Olympics
Others Nicholas Loney – 19th-century British diplomat and businessman who helped develop Iloilo City Josefa Jara Martinez – social worker, suffragist and civic leader Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr. – former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman; 2010 Philippine Vice-Presidential candidate running mate alongside Eddie Villanueva
References