It is located on the border with Belgium, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) southwest of the city of Terneuzen.

The landlord, Hieronymus Lauweryn, who founded the town in 1505, named it after Philip I.

The church was destroyed during World War II in 1944 and rebuilt in 1954.

It became the centre of the mussel fishing after 1939 due to the influx of fishermen from the Belgian village Boekhoute [nl] whose river started to silt.

[3] Philippine was a separate municipality until 1970 when it was merged with Sas van Gent.