The people of the Philippines are called Filipinos. Their ancestors, who were of Malay stock, came from the southeastern Asian mainland as well as from what is now Indonesia. From the 10th century, contacts with China resulted in a group of mixed Filipino-Chinese descent, who account for a minority of the population. A small percentage of Chinese nationals also live in the country. Spanish-Filipinos and Filipino-Americans may be distinguished by their fairer complexion, taller stature, and aquiline nose structure. The relatively small numbers of emigrants from the Indian subcontinent added to the population's racial mixture. There are small numbers of resident U.S. nationals (excluding military personnel) and Spaniards. The aboriginal inhabitants of the islands were the Negritos, or Pygmies, also called Aetas or Balugas; they now constitute only a small percentage of the total population.

Estimates of the total number of native languages and dialects spoken in the Philippines differ, but scholarly studies suggest that there are some 70 of them. These languages are all closely related, belonging to the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) family of languages. Traditionally, eight major linguistic groups are identified. These are (1) the Tagalog group, concentrated in Manila, central and south central Luzon, and the islands of Mindoro and Marinduque; (2) Cebuano, in Cebu, Bohol, eastern Negros, western Leyte, and parts of Mindanao; (3) Ilocano, dominant in many parts of northern Luzon; (4) Hiligaynon (Ilongo), spoken in parts of Panay and western Negros; (5) Bicol, spoken in southern Luzon and on the island of Catanduanes; (6) Waray–Waray, spoken in Samar and Leyte; (7) Pampango, spoken in parts of central Luzon; and (8) Pangasinan, spoken in central Luzon. Other notable languages are Magindanao and Maranao, spoken in parts of Mindanao, and Aklanon, spoken in Panay.