In the Philippines, nationality is determined by the Philippine nationality law. The law is based on the principle of jus sanguinis, which means that citizenship is acquired through descent from a Filipino parent. This means that any person born to at least one Filipino parent receives Philippine citizenship at birth. Foreign nationals may also naturalize as Philippine citizens after meeting certain requirements, such as a minimum residence requirement, acquiring real estate, demonstrating proficiency in either English or Spanish as well as a Philippine language, and fulfilling a good character requirement.

During American rule, any person born in the Philippines automatically received Philippine citizenship by birth regardless of the nationalities of their parents. However, since independence, citizenship is generally acquired only by descent from Filipino parents. Birth in the Philippines to foreign parents does not in itself confer Philippine citizenship, although there is a path for administrative naturalization of certain aliens born in the Philippines.

The term "Filipino" is used to refer to citizens or people identified with the country of the Philippines. The Spanish colonizers reserved the term Filipino to refer to Spaniards born in the Philippines, but the term was later extended to include all citizens of the sovereign independent Republic of the Philippines, including non-native inhabitants of the country as per the Philippine nationality law.

In summary, nationality in the Philippines is determined by the Philippine nationality law, which is based on the principle of jus sanguinis. Any person born to at least one Filipino parent receives Philippine citizenship at birth, and foreign nationals may also naturalize as Philippine citizens after meeting certain requirements. The term "Filipino" is used to refer to citizens or people identified with the country of the Philippines.