Several researches identified that many students find physics the most difficult science subject. The quest to find ways to make learning physics more meaningful and interesting has lasted for decades. Even with all the new strategies and pedagogies being used, many students still find the subject formidable. This study critically explored the learning characteristics of Filipino physics students which will serve as baseline data for curriculum design. Value Survey Module 2008 (VSM 08) and Epistemological Beliefs Assessment for Physical Sciences (EBAPS) were used to determine the cultural dimension indices and the epistemological beliefs of 385 participants grouped according to ethnicity. Percentage contributions of the three identified ethnic groups (Tagalog, Bicol and Pangasinan) were determined by taking the population ratio of each ethnic group with the total population of the three ethnic groups. Hofstede's cultural interpretation and education perspective interpretation of cultural values and beliefs were used to deduce the significance of the cultural dimension indices of the sample ethnic groups. EBAPS axes interpretation was also deduced per ethnic group to establish the distinct epistemology of all three ethnic groups. In comparing the ethnic groups per cultural dimension index and per EBAPS axes the study noted the similarities and differences of the learning characteristics of the different learners in cultural perspective. Each ethnic group showed unique and distinct cultural dimensions and epistemology. The Pangasinan learners were culturally tagged as student-centered, while Bicol and Tagalog learners as teacher centered. All ethnic groups, however, believed that science is composed of bit and pieces of concepts and knowledge. Pangasinan and Bicol learners emerged to move towards higher order thinking skills lessons when compared with the Tagalogs' epistemology. Correlation of the cultural dimension indices with the epistemological beliefs axes established the learning characteristics unique to each ethnic group of learner.