Famous Filipino People

Before assuming office as a senator of the Phillippines, Manny Pacquiao was already known as a globally renowned boxer. Known to his fans as PacMan, he is the only boxer to have won world championships from the 1990s to the 2020s. BoxRec named him the world’s seventh-active boxer in 2020.

The current president of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte took office at age 71, making him the oldest president of the country. His war on drugs has had a major impact in the Philippines. Known for his straightforward attitude in public, Duterte has admitted to killing three men in 1988 in an attempt to save a girl from being raped.

Bella Poarch is a Filipino-American singer and social media influencer. She is best known for posting videos on TikTok. She came into prominence in 2021, when one of her TikTok videos hit 49 million likes, making it the most liked video on the platform. The same year, Bella Poarch released her debut single titled Build a Bitch. 

Jose Rizal was a Filipino polymath and nationalist. An ophthalmologist by profession, Rizal turned towards writing and inspired the Philippine Revolution through his writings. The revolution eventually led to Philippine independence and Rizal became a national hero. His life has inspired several biographical films and TV series.

Golden Globe-nominated actor Lou Diamond Phillips is best known as Ritchie Valens from the film La Bamba. His performance in the Broadway revival of The King and I earned him a Tony nomination. He has also appeared in a string of TV and radio projects and participated in poker championships.

Ferdinand Marcos served as the tenth president of the Philippines. Marcos' rule was marked by brutality, extravagance, and corruption, making him the most controversial leader of his generation. Deemed a kleptocrat, Marcos' dictatorship caused an economic collapse during which the country suffered greatly. He was removed from power in 1986 after a series of protests called the People Power Revolution.

Pia Wurtzbach is a Filipino-German beauty queen who participated in the 64th Miss Universe pageant where she was crowned Miss Universe 2015. Wurtzbach is also a model, actress, and TV personality; she had to quit her showbusiness career temporarily to participate in the beauty pageant. She is also an advocate for gender equality and works towards raising awareness of HIV.

Lea Salonga is a Filipina actress, singer, and columnist. She achieved international fame at the age of 18, when she originated the role of Kim in Miss Saigon, winning the Laurence Olivier Award under the Best Actress in a Musical category. Lea Salonga became the first Asian actress to receive a Tony Award when she reprised the role on Broadway.

Famous for her baby-face and youthful skin, the South Korean singer and actress is a celebrity not just in her country, but also in the Philippines. Despite her humble beginning, Sandara Park rose to prominence as a singing sensation with a number of chart-topping songs. She also featured in television shows and movies and is considered as a trendsetter.

Filipino statesman Manuel L. Quezon, or MLQ, was the president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944, thus becoming the first Filipino to lead a government of the whole of the Philippines. He formed a government-in-exile in the U.S. after the Japanese invasion during World War II.

Daniel Padilla is a Filipino recording artist and actor. In 2015, Padilla became the first Pinoy artist to receive the Kids' Choice Award under the Global Slime Star category. He has also won several other awards, such as Myx Music Awards and Awit Awards. Also known for his philanthropic efforts, Padilla often participates in charity events.

Born Charice Pempengco, Filipino singer Jake Zyrus came out as lesbian in 2013 and then as transgender later, changing his name in 2017 and going through a chest reconstruction and hormone treatment. Jake had grown up supporting his family by performing and later struck gold with the single Pyramid.

Nadine Lustre is a Filipina actress, music video director, and singer best known for her portrayal of Eya Rodriguez in the 2014 romantic comedy film, Diary ng Panget. One of the most decorated Filipina celebrities, Lustre has won several prestigious awards, such as the Young Critics Circle award, Asian Academy Creative Award, Myx Music Awards, and Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award.

Marian Rivera is a Spanish-Filipino model and actress. She is known for playing important roles in TV series like Marimar, Amaya, and Temptation of Wife. Apart from winning awards for her acting skills, Rivera has also been named FHM Magazine's Sexiest Woman on a couple of occasions. Also known for her philanthropic efforts, Marian Rivera often participates in fundraising campaigns.

Bea Alonzo is a Filipina model, actress, and former singer. Widely regarded as one of Asia's biggest stars,Bea Alonzo has won many prestigious awards for her skills as an actress. In 2016, she was adjudged Movie Actress of the Year at the 32nd PMPC Star Awards for Movies for playing Basha Belinda Eugenio-Gonzales in the 2015 film, A Second Chance.

Maine Mendoza is a Filipino television personality and actress. She is best known for playing Yaya Dub in the popular TV variety show, Eat Bulaga! Over the years, Maine Mendoza has won several awards, such as the Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress, which she won for her performance in the 2015 movie My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore.

Efren Reyes is a Filipino professional pool player who is regarded as the greatest player of all time. Nicknamed The Magician, Reyes is best known for his ability to display numerous trick shots. Efren Reyes has also won more than 100 international titles over the course of his illustrious career. Reyes is a WPA World Eight-ball and Nine-ball champion.

Coco Martin is a Filipino actor, director, and producer. He is best known for his lead role in the film Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin. He began acting in the early 2000s with small roles in TV shows. In the ensuing years, he moved on to more serious roles in TV series and films. He made his directorial debut in 2017.

Filipino comedian, talk show host, actor, and TV presenter Vice Ganda has appeared in some of the highest-grossing movies in Philippine cinema. As a comedian, he uses observational comedy, situational irony, and sarcasm in his routines. Also active on TV, he regularly hosts the noontime variety show It's Showtime. He is openly gay and is considered an LGBTQAI+ icon.

Heart Evangelista is a Filipina actress, TV host, singer, philanthropist, and socialite. She began working as a model and actress while still in her teens. As a young woman, she continued acting while also establishing herself as a painter. She launched the foundation 'Heart Can' to help children with special needs. She is married to politician Francis Escudero.

Born to an artisan father, Ramon Magsaysay was initially a schoolteacher. He served as the president of the Philippines and successfully subdued the Huk movement of the local communist guerrillas. The Ramon Magsaysay Award, named after him, celebrates excellence of Asians in various fields such as journalism and government service.

Filipina actor Maja Salvador became a household name with her award-winning role in the film Thelma. The series Wildflower and The Killer Bride catapulted her to international fame. In 2018, she rekindled her romance with her long-lost boyfriend of her 20s, Rambo Nunez. She now owns a talent company.

Known for her legal expertise and her resolve to fight corruption, Miriam Defensor Santiago also became the first Filipina and the first from an Asian developing country to serve as a judge of the International Criminal Court. The senator was also a Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient and died of lung cancer.

Andrea Brillantes is a Filipina actress and recording artist best known for her leading role in the TV series Annaliza. She started acting as a child and first appeared in the children's comedy show Goin' Bulilit. As a young woman, she has acted in dramas and fantasies, portraying versatile roles. She has received one Urduja Heritage Film Award. 

The 1st prime minister of the Philippines, Apolinario Mabini led the Philippine Revolution and helped in drafting the Malolos Constitution. Born into a family of illiterate peasants, he became a lawyer, before joining the forces of revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo. He spent most of his later years in exile, targeted by the US.

Bretman Rock is a Filipino-American social media personality and beauty influencer. An internet sensation, Rock posted a contouring video in 2016, which took several social media platforms by storm. An openly gay influencer, Bretman Rock graced Gay Times' Pride Month cover in June 2019. In 2021, he started appearing in his own reality TV show, MTV's Following: Bretman Rock.

Manuel Roxas was a Filipino politician who served as the president of the Philippines from 1946 to 1948. He also served as the first president of the Third Philippine Republic after the USA relinquished its supremacy over the Philippines. Regarded as an important politician in the history of the Philippines, Roxas is depicted on the 100 Peso banknote. 

Filipino-American journalist and author Maria Ressa is the co-founder and CEO of Rappler, an online news website. She was a lead investigative reporter in Southeast Asia for CNN for almost two decades.  A court in Manila found her guilty of cyber libel in 2020. This move was condemned by human rights activists as an attack on press freedom. 

Isabel Preysler is a  Filipina socialite and TV host. As a teenager, she participated in beauty pageants and worked as a model. She later started working as a journalist. An elegant woman, she is considered a fashion icon. Her first husband was Julio Iglesias, a Spanish singer.  Enrique Iglesias and Julio Iglesias Jr. are her sons.

Benigno Aquino, Jr., also known as Ninoy Aquino, was the son of Filipino politician Benigno Aquino Sr. and grew up to be a senator and the chief opposition leader during President Ferdinand E. Marcos’s rule. A supporter of democracy, he was assassinated at the Manila airport after returning from exile.

Kim Chiu is a Filipino model, actress, singer, dancer, host, and vlogger. Nicknamed the Multimedia Idol, Chiu has achieved immense popularity in the Philippines. Regarded as one of the most popular actresses for her generation, Chiu is also counted among the highest grossing stars of the 2010s decade. She is also one of the most decorated performers of her generation.

Julia Montes was raised by her deaf Filipina mother after her German father abandoned them. Julia began modeling at 5 and later soared to fame with series such as Mara Clara and films such as A Moment in Time. She has lately been rumored to be dating Coco Martin.