Using ethnographic and historical research, the study explores the semantic domain of “ginhawa” across ethnolinguistic groups in the country. It identifies its Austronesian derivation and establishes its centrality to Filipino life in general and human motivation in particular. “Ginhawa” appears to be the basis for an entire complex of concepts and ideas relating to life both as physical existence and as spiritual essence, character and behavior in social interaction. “Ginhawa” derives from PAn *(Ra-)siNáwa, an original Austronesian concept. A survey of its reflexes among Philippine ethnolinguistic groups revealed a complexity of meanings captured in our Pan-Filipino semantic configuration of “Ginhawa” in the following dimensions: respiratory-alimentary, vital-spiritual, and relational -communal. Respiratory alimentary (breath-life-stomach) is the dimension of “Ginhawa” relating to the overall biological/physiological condition/functioning of the human body. Vital-Spiritual (life/character/will/inner-body/ feelings/yearnings/emotions) is figurative or “Ginhawa” relating to philosophico-religious and psychological existence or the internal components of “pagkatao” in dynamic interaction with the natural and supernatural realm. Relational-Communal (behavior/self with/for others through “pakikipagkapwa” and sustenance of community and self in terms of “H/hanapbuhay”) is the dimension that pertains to “Ginhawa” construed as Self (“sarili” or individual “pagkatao”) interacting with the external world.