Proposed subspecies forbesi (from Camiguin Sur, in south-central Philippines) is lumped with basilanicus. Birds of this species found on Panay, in west-central Philippines, possibly represent an undescribed subspecies.
The following 8 subspecies are recognised:
wetmorei Tweeddale, 1878 - North-eastern and southern Thailand (south to Trang); probably also southern Myanmar (Tenasserim). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Hume's White-eye (Zosterops auriventer).
tahanensis Ogilvie-Grant, 1906 - Extreme southern Thailand (Yala), Peninsular Malaysia, and Borneo (Sabah, and locally central, eastern and southern Kalimantan). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Hume's White-eye (Zosterops auriventer).
boholensis McGregor, 1908 - Samar, Calicoan, Biliran, Leyte and Bohol, in east-central Philippines.
everetti Tweeddale, 1878 - Cebu, in central Philippines.
siquijorensis Bourns & Worcester, 1894 - Siquijor, in south-central Philippines.
basilanicus Steere, 1890 - Dinagat, Siargao, Camiguin Sur, Mindanao and Basilan, in southern Philippines.