The music of Makiling Ensemble is basically inspired by the traditional music cultures of the world. These traditions are then fused with modern musical idioms in a highly original and stylized manner.
In its early days, Makiling Ensemble fused traditional music with Western classical music with some doses of modern popular music such as rock, pop, and jazz resulting in an engaging but somewhat formal musical style.
Later on their music evolved into a more dynamic type abandoning the formality of classical music and utilizing vigorous Afro-Latin rhythms fused with Keltic inspired melodies, Indian-styled vocals, the playfullness of the T’boli hegalong, guitar chords and heightened improvisation.