Sara Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio born May 31, 1978, commonly known as Inday Sara, is a Filipino lawyer and politician currently serving as the 15th vice president of the Philippines. She is the third woman to hold this position, the third vice president from Mindanao, and the youngest vice president in Philippine history. The daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, she previously served as mayor of Davao City from 2010 to 2013 and again from 2016 to 2022. She was also Davao City’s vice mayor from 2007 to 2010. Duterte graduated from San Pedro College with initial aspirations of pursuing a medical career before shifting to law. She completed her law studies at San Sebastian College–Recoletos. Duterte entered politics in 2007 when she was elected vice mayor of Davao City, later becoming its youngest and first female mayor in 2010. After taking a short break from politics, she returned to serve as mayor again in 2016 and was reelected in 2019. During her tenure, she launched the Byaheng DO30 and Peace 911 programs and led the city’s COVID-19 response. Duterte also played a significant role in national politics, supporting her father’s presidency and influencing the removal of Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker of the House in 2018.
Sara Duterte Biography 2025
In the 2022 presidential elections, Duterte ran for vice president under the Lakas–CMD party, joining the ticket of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. Their alliance won in a landslide, and Duterte was sworn in as vice president on June 30, 2022. She concurrently served as Secretary of Education and vice chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) until resigning from both roles on June 19, 2025. Despite their initial political partnership, Duterte and Marcos have increasingly distanced themselves, with reports of a growing rift between their families. By August 2025, Duterte publicly expressed regret for supporting Marcos in the election, and Marcos later acknowledged they had not communicated since her resignation. In November 2025, Duterte claimed that she had contacted a contract killer to target Marcos, his wife Liza, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in the event of an assassination attempt on her. The government considered this an “active threat” against the administration.
Sara Duterte Biography Details
| Born |
Sara Zimmerman Duterte
May 31, 1978 (age 46)
Davao City, Philippines |
| Political party |
HNP (2018–present) |
Other political
affiliations |
- Lakas–CMD (2021–2023)
- PDP–Laban (2007–2018)[1]
- Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (local party; 2011–2018)
|
| Spouse |
|
| Relations |
Duterte family |
| Children |
4 |
| Parents |
- Rodrigo Duterte
- Elizabeth Zimmerman
|
| Alma mater |
- San Pedro College (BS)
- San Beda College
- San Sebastian College – Recoletos (LL.B.)
|
Sara Duterte Early Life
Sara Zimmerman Duterte was born on May 31, 1978, at Davao Doctors Hospital in Davao City. Her baptismal records list her name as Sara Vicenta, named in honor of her grandfather, Vicente. She is the second child of then-lawyer and future president Rodrigo Duterte and flight attendant Elizabeth Zimmerman. Her maternal great-grandfather was a German-American who fled to the Philippines from the United States.
Raised in what she described as a “broken family,” Duterte has spoken about her complex relationship with her father during her student years, particularly due to her disapproval of his womanizing and late-night habits. After her father separated from her mother in the 1990s, Sara lived with her mother and, until she became mayor, considered her relationship with her father to be distant. However, despite their differences, Rodrigo considered Sara to be his favorite child and placed great importance on the education of her and her siblings.
Duterte initially attended San Pedro College, where she earned a degree in BS Respiratory Therapy in 1999. She later revealed in her inaugural speech as mayor that she had originally aspired to become a pediatrician, not a politician. She then pursued a law degree at San Beda College but later transferred to San Sebastian College–Recoletos, where she graduated in May 2005. That same year, she passed the Philippine Bar Examination. Duterte briefly worked as a court attorney at the office of Supreme Court Associate Justice Romeo Callejo Sr.
Sara Duterte Bio
| Aspect |
Details |
| Full Name |
Sara Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio |
| Date of Birth |
May 31, 1978 |
| Place of Birth |
Davao City, Philippines |
| Parents |
Rodrigo Duterte (father), Elizabeth Zimmerman (mother) |
| Early Education |
San Pedro College (BS Respiratory Therapy) |
| Law Education |
San Beda College, later transferred to San Sebastian College – Recoletos |
| Bar Exam |
Passed the Philippine Bar Exam in 2005 |
| Career Start |
Worked briefly as a court attorney at the Supreme Court |
Vice Mayor of Davao City (2007-2010)
| Position |
Years |
| Election Year |
2007 |
| Term |
June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2010 |
| Key Project |
‘Inday para sa Barangay’, later renamed Caravan of Government Services |
| Notable Appointment |
Regional officer of the National Movement of Young Legislators |
| Major Challenge |
Conflicted with City Council over appointments, particularly Zuleika Lopez |
First Term as Mayor of Davao City (2010-2013)
| Position |
Dates |
| Election Year |
2010 |
| Term |
June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2013 |
| Key Election Rival |
Prospero Nograles, Speaker of the House of Representatives |
| Major Policies |
Promoted tourism and investment, introduced “Davao: Life Is Here” campaign |
| Key Appointments |
Appointed Zuleika Lopez as City Administrator |
| Notable Achievement |
Chairperson of the Regional Development Council, Region XI |
Political Positions
| Position |
Facts |
| Moro Conflict |
Opposed government peace talks with CPP-NPA-NDF, calling them “pacts with the devil” |
| Communism Stance |
Opposed peace negotiations with Communist groups, calling rebels insincere |
| South China Sea |
Avoided public statements on the issue, deferring to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Defense |
| Apollo Quiboloy |
Supported controversial religious leader Apollo Quiboloy, despite ongoing investigations |
Second Term as Mayor of Davao City (2016-2022)
| Position |
Details |
| Election Year |
2016 |
| Term |
June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022 |
| Re-election |
Re-elected in 2019 |
| Notable Programs |
Byaheng DO30, Peace 911, COVID-19 response initiatives |
| National Role |
Played an influential role in national politics during Duterte’s presidency |
Vice Presidency (2022-Present)
| Position |
Years |
| Election Year |
2022 |
| Term |
June 30, 2022 – Present |
| Party |
Lakas–CMD, UniTeam Alliance with Bongbong Marcos |
| Key Responsibilities |
Secretary of Education, Vice Chair of NTF-ELCAC (resigned June 2025) |
| Major Achievement |
First female, youngest vice president, and third from Mindanao |
Chairperson of Lakas–CMD
| Position |
Dates |
| Election Year |
2021 |
| Term |
November 17, 2021 – May 19, 2023 |
| Successor |
Bong Revilla |
| Political Influence |
Led party strategy for 2022 elections |
Chairperson of Hugpong ng Pagbabago
| Position |
Details |
| Election Year |
2018 |
| Term |
February 23, 2018 – Present |
| Party Role |
Oversaw regional party expansion and development |
Military Service
| Position |
Points |
| Service Branch |
Armed Forces of the Philippines |
| Rank |
Colonel |
| Years of Service |
2009–present |
| Role |
Reserve officer |
Personal Life
| Aspect |
Details |
| Spouse |
Mans Carpio (married 2007) |
| Children |
Four children |
| Relatives |
Related to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and Justice Antonio Carpio |
| Public Appearances |
Hosted TV shows, including “Una Ka Bai” and “Byaheng DO30” |
Publications
| Aspect |
Information |
| Book Title |
Isang Kaibigan (A Friend) |
| Launch Date |
November 2023 |
| Budget Proposal |
₱10 million for distributing 200,000 copies to public schools |
| Controversy |
Allegations of plagiarism and political use of public funds |
Political Career Challenges
| Issue |
Details |
| Marcos Alliance |
Growing rift with Marcos family, resignation from key positions (June 2025) |
| Controversial Actions |
Statements supporting controversial figures like Apollo Quiboloy |
Controversial Statements and Actions
| Topic |
Facts |
| Rape Victim Admission |
Publicly admitted to being a rape victim in 2016 |
| Shaving Head for Politics |
Shaved head in 2015 to convince her father to run for president |
| LGBT Statement |
Identified as part of the LGBT community with male gender expression in 2022 |
Family Legacy and Influence
| Aspect |
Details |
| Father |
Rodrigo Duterte, 16th President of the Philippines |
| Political Influence |
Strong family legacy, with Sara following in her father’s political footsteps |
Public Response and Criticism
| Issue |
Points |
| Regret Over Marcos |
Publicly expressed regret supporting Marcos in the 2022 elections |
| Public Image |
Criticized for perceived political maneuvers, including the promotion of her book |
Sara Duterte Net Worth
Information Not Available.
Sara Duterte Summary
Sara Duterte, the 15th Vice President of the Philippines, is a prominent politician and lawyer, known for her leadership in Davao City as mayor. The daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, she has played a significant role in national politics, particularly during her father’s administration. Elected as vice president in 2022, she also served as Secretary of Education before resigning from both roles in 2025 amid political tensions with President Marcos. Her political career has been marked by both achievements and controversies, including her support for controversial figures and her shifting alliances. Despite challenges, she remains a powerful political figure in the Philippines.
