Davao

American

[dah-vou, dah-vou] / dɑˈvaʊ, ˈdɑ vaʊ /

noun

a seaport on SE Mindanao, in the S Philippines.

Davao British

/ daˈvaːo /

noun

a port in the S Philippines, in SE Mindanao. Pop: 1 326 000 (2005 est)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He had built a reputation for being tough against crime as mayor of Davao, a sprawling southern metropolis, and said peace and order were necessary to spur investments.

From BBC

His daughter, Sara, is the current vice-president, while his son, Sebastian, is vice-mayor of Davao, currently serving as acting mayor.

From BBC

Despite being in jail at The Hague, he remains popular, especially in Davao where he won the 2025 mayoral race by a landslide.

From BBC

Previously, during his long tenure as mayor of Davao City, Duterte was already known for extremely harsh anti‑crime and anti‑drug policies.

From Barron's

He was elected to his old job as mayor of his southern stronghold of Davao in midterm elections held in May last year, though jail stopped him serving.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023