Actor With Decades-Long Career Dies of Cancer: Ricky Davao Was 63

Ricky Davao, the Filipino actor and television director whose career spanned more than 40 years and included roles on both the stage and screen, has died.

Davao passed away earlier this month at the age of 63 following a battle with cancer, his daughter Ara Davao announced on social media.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Ricky Davao,” Ara wrote in a Friday Facebook post. “He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his children and loved ones, after bravely facing complications related to cancer.”

Ara didn’t share further details, but Davao’s wife, Jackie Lou Blanco, from whom he separated in 2011, told the Manila Bulletin that the actor had been battling late-stage lymphoma since last late last year. As his health deteriorated in recent weeks, Blanco said Davao “wanted to spend more time with the children and grandchildren. The kids would spend time with him in the hospital and his friends would visit.” She said he passed away at home surrounded by loved ones.

Born Frederick Charles Caballes Davao on March 23, 1961 to legendary actor Charlie Davao and his wife Emma Abiera, Davao began his career in the entertainment world as a member of the famous dance group the Vicor Dancers before transitioning into acting, first on the stage and then on the screen, per the Manila Bulletin.

“For more than four decades, he dedicated his life to the craft of acting and directing. His remarkable body of work and award-winning performances have left a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire,” Ara continued. “Most of all he was a loving father, brother, son, and friend.”

The actor is well-remembered for his role as a fictionalized Bongbong Marcos in the stage play Bongbong at Kris in the 1980s. He also appeared in hundreds of films and TV series, including Oki Doki Doc: The Movie, Ang Lalaki sa Buhay ni Selya, Bayaning 3rd World, Mula sa Puso, and Hibla, among others. His last TV credit was Love Before Sunrise in 2023, the GMA series in which he starred alongside Blanco, whom he married in 2011. The pair separated in 2011 but remained legally married. They shared three children together.

Outside of acting, Davao was also a well-known director. He served as a juror at the ASEAN International Film Festival Awards in 2013 and participated in the Pinoy Playlist Music Festival in 2019, according to NewsWatch Philippines.

Paying tribute toe Davao, Blanco said “he was very animated, always laughing, always joking around.” She added that she wants him “to be remembered as somebody who was very dedicated to his craft as a director, as an actor. Somebody who was a good friend to everybody. Always very helpful. Always lending a hand with tips in acting, directing, or life lessons.”