Although the people of the Philippines developed a variety of diverse weapons, knives and daggers are generally the local weapon of choice. Knives were first introduced into the Philippines around 200 B.C., at the time of the first Malay migration. Succeeding migrations brought new styles of knives and new fighting techniques. The most competent knife fighters of the Philippines were ancestors of the present-day Moros, a devout Muslim group of Malays that settled on the southern islands of the Philippines in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

By that time, many other fighting techniques had developed on the islands. Some originated locally; others, (several southern styles of Kung Fu,) were brought there by Chinese traders and settlers during the Sung (960-1279 a.d.) and Ming (1368-1644 a.d.) dynasties, at roughly the same time that the Moros began reaching the southern Philippines. Although the Chinese were eventually conquered by the other ethnic groups of the Philippines, their fighting styles survived. Many techniques were incorporated into local Martial Arts, making them even more efficient and deadly.

In 1521 the Spanish initiated a series of expeditions to conquer and colonize the Philippines. They met with fierce resistance, particularly from the Muslim inhabitants of the South. The most effective weapon used against the Spanish was the Kris, a curved sword brought to the Philippines from Indonesia. Because it was too dangerous to practice fighting with the Kris and other knives, ritual dances, such as the Binabayani and the Sinulog, were created. In these dances the participants would work themselves into a trance-like frenzy, which would culminate in a mock battle with knives. Although the Spanish attempted to ban the use of bladed weapons, these dances proved an ideal means of continuing training in Martial Arts under the appearance of a religious celebration. Another way of training was by theatrical productions, called Moro-Moro, in which combat techniques were rehearsed and displayed. The Spanish were particularly fond of these plays, never suspecting that they were witnessing a forbidden training session in the Martial Arts.

Since the Philippines gained independence in 1946, Kali has been studied extensively; it even began to be taught in the West, sometimes along with Pentjak Silat. Many teachers still use the traditional dance-like movements that developed before and during Spanish rule.