The official languages of the Philippines are English and Filipino, which is based on Tagalog, the language of Manila and central Luzon. There are well over one hundred other Austronesian languages and dialects spoken throughout the provinces: Ilocano and Pangasinan which are spoken in Northern Luzon; Cebuano in Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Waray in Samar and Leyte (Visayas); Manguindanao in Cotobato; Tausug in Tawi-Tawi group and Sulu (Mindanao).

Like the food and culture of the country, the language reflects the colonial experience—many words from Spanish, Chinese, and American English have been incorporated into the modern Filipino lexicon. Conversations frequently shift between Tagalog and English, even in the same sentence.