Panliligaw or ligawan are the Tagalog terms for courtship, which in some parts of the Tagalog-speaking regions is synonymous with pandidiga or digahan (from Spanish diga, 'to say, express'). Manliligaw will be the one that courts a woman; nililigawan is the one that is now being courted.

In Philippine culture, courtship is far more subdued and indirect unlike in some Western societies. A man who's interested in courting a lady has to be discreet and friendly in the beginning, in order not to be seen as too presko or mayabang (aggressive or too presumptuous). Friendly dates are often the beginning, often with a number of other friends. Later, couples might have to go out on their own, but this is still to be done discreetly. If the pair has decided to end up on view about their romance, they will tell their loved ones and friends as well.

In the Philippines, if a man would like to be taken seriously with a woman, he has to go to latter's family and introduce himself formally to the parents of the girl. It is rather inappropriate to court a woman and formalize the relationship without informing the mother and father of your girl. It is definitely expected that the guy must show his face to the girl's family. And if a guy wants to be acceptable to the girl's family, he needs to give pasalubong (gifts) each time he drops by her family's house. It said that in the Philippines, courting a Filipina means courting her family as well.

In courting a Filipina, the metaphor often used is that of playing baseball. The man is said to reach 'first base' when the girl accepts his proposal to go out on to start a date for the first time. Thereafter, going out on several dates is like reaching the second and third bases. A 'home-run' is one in which the girl formally accepts the man's love, and they become magkasintahan (from sinta, love), a term for boyfriend-girlfriend.

Throughout the old times as well as in the rural regions of the Philippines, Filipino men will make harana (serenade) the women at night and singsongs of love and affection. This is basically a Spanish influence. The man is usually accompanied by his friends who provide moral support for the guy, aside from singing with him. Filipino women are expected being pakipot (playing challenging to get) because it's seen as an appropriate behavior in a courtship dance. By being pakipot, the girl tells the man that he has to work hard to win her love. It can also be one of the ways in which the Filipina will be able to appraise the sincerity of her admirer. Some courtships could last years prior to the woman accept the man's love.

A normal dalagang Pilipina (Filipinpa maiden) is somebody that is mahinhin (modest, shy, with good upbringing, well-mannered) and doesn't demonstrate to her admirer that she is also deeply in love with him immediately. She can also be not meant to go out on a date with several men. The complete opposite of mahinhin is malandi (flirt), which is taboo in Filipino culture as far as courtship, is concerned.

Following a long courtship, if the couple later decide to got married, there is the Filipino tradition of pamamanhikan (from panik, to go up into the stairs of the house), where the man and the parents visit the woman's family and ask for her parents blessings to marry their daughter. It is also an occasion for your parents on the woman to get at know the parents of the man.