PHILIPPINE ETHNIC

GROUPS
According to the Komisyon ng
Wikang Filipino, there are 135
recognized local languages in the
Philippines, one of which (Filipino)
is known to all groups in the
Philippines, and each of the
remaining 134 is inherent to a
single ethnic group. There 134
ethnic groups in the Philippines,
majority of which are indigenous,
though much of the overall
Philippine population is
constituted by only 8-10 lowland
ethnic groups.
The Philippine Constitution, in recognition of this diversity and
under the framework of national unity and development, mandates
state recognition, protection, promotion, and fulfillment of the
rights of Indigenous Peoples. Further, Republic Act 8371, also
known as the “Indigenous Peoples Rights Act” (1997, IPRA),
recognized the right of IPs to manage their ancestral domains; it has
become the cornerstone of current national policy on IPs.
 These groups ranged from
various Igorot tribes, a
group that includes the
Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao,
Isneg, Kalinga, Kankanaey
and Tinguian, who built
the Rice Terraces. They
also covered a wide
spectrum in terms of their
integration and
acculturation with lowland
Christian and Muslim
Filipinos.
IGOROTS
In the southern Philippines, upland and lowland
tribal groups were concentrated on Mindanao
and western Visayas, although there are several
upland groups such as the Mangyan living in
Mindoro.
•LUZON
•VISAYAS
•MINDANAO
•MORO
The Bicolanos are a predominantly Roman Catholic ethnic
group that originates from the Bicol Region in Southern Luzon.

They are known for their cuisine heavily using chili peppers
and coconut milk.
The Gaddang number about 25,000.
They are known to have inhabited
the upper Cagayan Valley,
particularly Isabela and Nueva
Vizcaya since before the Spanish
arrived.
The Ibanags are a predominantly Christian lowland ethnic
group numbering around half a million people and who
primarily inhabit the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela in the
Cagayan Valley of northern Luzon.
The Ilocano people are a
predominantly Christian group
who reside within the
lowlands and coastal areas of
northwestern Luzon.[10] Other
Ilocanos are also found in
Cordillera Administrative
Region and Cagayan Valley.
The Ilongot are a
headhunting
ethnolinguistic nation
found in the Caraballo
Mountains.
The Itawes are among the earliest inhabitants of
the Cagayan Valley in northern Luzon. Other than
their mother tongue, they speak Ibanag and Ilocano.
Their traditional dresses are colorful with red being the
dominant color. Farming is a leading source of livelihood.
The Ivatan (also spelled as Ibatan) are the
predominant ethnolinguistic group in the Batanes
islands of the Philippines.
 They are predominantly
Christian. They primarily
speak and use the
Kapampangan language,
The Kapampangan or which is spoken by more
Capampañgan people are than 1.4 million people.
the seventh-largest ethno In the Spanish colonial era,
linguistic group in the Pampanga was known to be
Philippines. a source of valiant soldiers.
The Pangasinan people, the Pangasinense, or the
Pangalatok are the eighth-largest ethnolinguistic
group in the Philippines.

They primarily speak and use the Pangasinan

language, which is spoken by more than 1.2 million
people.
The Sambals are the
inhabitants of the province
of Zambales and the
independent city
of Olongapo. They are also
found in the municipalities
of Bolinao and Anda in Pan
gasinan.
The Tagalogs, the settlers of
Manila and its surrounding areas,
are one of the most widespread
groups of people in the
Philippines. The Tagalog
language was chosen as an
official language of the
Philippines in the 1930s. Today,
Filipino, a de facto version of
Tagalog, is taught throughout the
archipelago. As of the 2000
census, there were about 21.5
million speakers of Tagalog in the
Philippines, 23.8 million
worldwide.
The Visayans are an ethnic group native to the whole Visayas, to the
southernmost islands of Luzon and the northern and eastern coastal parts of
Mindanao. They are speakers of one or more Visayan languages, the most
widely spoken being Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Waray-Waray. Other groups
speak smaller languages such as Capiznon, Kinaray-a, Aklanon, Masbateño,
Romblomanon, Surigaonon and Butuanon. They comprise the largest ethnic
group in the country, numbering at around 33 million as of 2010.
Aklanon form the majority in the province of Aklan in Panay.
They are also found in other Panay provinces such
as Iloilo, Antique, and Capiz, as well as Romblon. Like the
other Visayans, Aklanons have also found their way to Metro
Manila, Mindanao, and even the United States.
The people of Bohol are said to be the descendants of the last
group of inhabitants who settled in the Philippines
called pintados or “tattooed ones.”[1] Boholanos had already a
culture of their own as evidenced by the artifacts dug
at Mansasa, Tagbilaran City, and in Dauis and Panglao.
The Butuanon are part of the wider Visayan ethnolinguistic group,
which constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. The
Butuanon are one of the smallest Visayan ethnic groups. As with
the Surigaonons, the Butuanons are also previously considered as
Cebuanos.
Caluyanon is
a regional Western
Visayan language
spoken in the Caluya
Islands in Antique in
the Philippines. Most
of its speakers use
either Kinaraya or Hilig
aynon as their second
language.
The Capiznons or Capizeños ref
er to the people who are native
to or have roots in Roxas
City and the province of Capiz,
located in the region of
Western Visayas in the central
section of the Philippines.
Located in the region of
Western Visayas in the central
section of the Philippines. It is
located at the northeastern
portion of Panay Island.
They originated in the province of Cebu in the region of Central
Visayas, but then later spread out to other places in the Philippines,
such as Siquijor, Bohol, Negros Oriental, southwestern Leyte,
western Samar, Masbate, and large parts of Mindanao. It may also
refer to the ethnic group who speak the same language as their native
tongue in different parts of the archipelago.
The Eskaya, less
commonly known as
the Visayan-Eskaya, is
the collective name for
the members of a
cultural minority found
in Bohol, Philippines,
which is distinguished
by its cultural heritage,
particularly its
literature, language,
dress and religious
observances.
The Hiligaynon people,
often referred to as
Ilonggo people, are a
subgroup of the Visayan
people whose primary
language is the Hiligaynon
language, an Austronesian
language native to Panay,
Guimaras, and Negros.
 Karay-a people speak the Karay-a language, also
known as Kinaray-a. The term Hamtikanon, is
incorrectly substituted to generally refer to all ethnic
Karay-a; however, it pertains to the Karay-a people
living in Antique and deals more with location of
residence than ethnicity.
Surigaonons populate the eastern coastal plain of Mindanao,
particularly the provinces of Surigao del Norte, Surigao del
Sur and Dinagat Islands. They are also present in the provinces
of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and in Davao Oriental.
Waray people inhabit the whole island of Samar where they are
called Samareños/Samarnons, the northern part of the island of
Leyte where they are called Leyteños, and the island of Biliran. On
Leyte island, the Waray people occupy the northern part of the
island, separated from the Cebuano language-speaking Leyteños
by a mountain range in the middle of the island.
Sangirese or Sangihe people are
one of the native people to
the Sangir Islands in the northern
chain of islands in Sulawesi and
the southern part of Mindanao.
The Sangirese people are
fishermen and nutmeg growers in
their home areas.

The Sangirese have traditionally

been concentrated in the province
of North Sulawesi in Indonesia and
the Region of Dávao in
the Philippines.
The Zamboangueño people are
an ethno-linguistic group of
Hispanic and malay descent
speaking Chavacano a Spanish-
based creole and they number
almost a million people. The
Zamboangueño people
(Chavacano/Spanish: Pueblo
Zamboangueño) are a creole
ethnic group of the Philippines
and Malaysia originating in
Zamboanga City (formerly,
República de Zamboanga).
The Moro, also called the Bangsamoro or Bangsa Moro, are the
Muslim population of the Philippines, forming the largest non-
Catholic group in the country and comprising about 11% (as of the
year 2012) of the total Philippine population. There are around
14 indigenous communities, of which the majority have converted
to the religion of Islam and are now Muslims or Moros.
The name collectively refers to
related people who usually call
themselves the Sama or Samah.
The Sama-Bajau are traditionally
from the many islands of the Sulu
Archipelago in the Philippines,
coastal areas of Mindanao,
northern and eastern Borneo,
the Celebes, and throughout
eastern Indonesian islands.
The Banguingui are not officially recognized by law either in the
Philippines or in the neighboring Malaysian state of Sabah. This
can be attributed to their natural ability to culturally assimilate
and their acceptance in either Tausug, Sama and Yakan societies.
The Banguingui are part of the wider Moro ethnic group, who
constitute the sixth largest Filipino ethnic group.
The Iranun are a Moro ethnic
group native to Mindanao, and
the west coast of Sabah
For centuries, the Iranun were
involved in pirate-related
occupations in the Malay
world. Lanun means pirate
in Malay language. Originally
from the Sultanate of
Maguindanao, in southern
Mindanao, Iranun colonies
spread throughout Mindanao,
the Sulu Archipelago and the
north and east coast of
Borneo.
The Maguindanao people are part of the wider Moro ethnic group,
who constitute the sixth largest Filipino ethnic group. Their name
means “people of the plains”. They speak Maguindanaon and
second languages Cebuano, Tagalog and Arabic and/or English.
Because of the mass influx of Cebuano migrants to Mindanao, many
of the Maguindanao people tend to be exposed to the Cebuano
language from Visayas easily enough to be able to speak it.
The Maranao people, also spelled Meranao, Maranaw and
Mëranaw, is the term used by the Philippine government
to refer to the southern tribe who are the "people of the
lake", a predominantly-Muslim region of the Philippine
island of Mindanao.
The Tausūg are part of the wider political identity of Muslims of
Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan. Most of the Tausugs have
converted into the religion of Islam whose members are now
more known as the Moro group, who constitute the third largest
ethnic group of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan.
The Yakan people are among the major indigenous Filipino
ethnolinguistic groups in the Sulu Archipelago. Also known as
dream weaver having a significant number of followers of Islam, it
is considered as one of the 13 Moro groups in the Philippines. The
Yakans mainly reside in Basilan but are also in Zamboanga City.
•IGOROT
•LUMAD
•MANGYAN
•NEGRITO
•PALAWENO
•SULUDNON
The Igorots live in the highlands of Luzon. They are primarily
located in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
BALANGAO BONTOC

IBALOI IFUGAO
 ISNEG KALINGA

KANKANAEY TINGUIAN
The Lumad of Mindanao
includes several
ethnolinguistic nations
such as the Manobo, the
Tasaday, the Mamanwa,
the Mandaya, the B'laan,
the T'boli, and the
Kalagan. They primarily
inhabit the eastern parts
of Mindanao such as the
Caraga, and Davao
Regions.
BLAAN BUKIDNON HIGAONON

KAMAYO MAMANWA MANDAYA

MANOBO SUBANON

TASADAY TBOLI
The Mangyan communities are found in Mindoro. They are 13% in the
population. The Mangyans were once the only inhabitants of Mindoro.
Their sustenance are farming for their own crops, fruits, and hunting. A
certain group of Mangyans living in Southern Mindoro call themselves
Hanunuo Mangyans, meaning “true”, “pure” or “genuine,” a term that
they use to stress the fact that they are strict in the sense of ancestral
preservation of tradition and practices.
BUHID HANUNÓ'O

RATAGNON TAWBUID
Negritos refers to a large group of indigenous tribes in Philippines.It
includes the subgroups called Agta, Aeta, Ati, Ayta, Dumagat and 25
more tribes in the Philippines. These short,dark-skinned and kinky-
haired peoples are considered the earliest inhabitants of the
Philippines with a populations of about 160,000.They are the most
widely distributed among indigenous people.
AETA ATI
AGUTAYNEN CUYUNON

PALAWANO BATAK
TAGBANUA MOLBOG
The Suludnon, also known as the Tumandok, Panay-Bukidnon,
or Panayanon Sulud, are an indigenous Visayan group of
people who reside in the Capiz-Lambunao mountainous area
of Panay in the Visayan islands of the Philippines.